If you want a private audience with President Donald Trump, be prepared to pay.
Trump has been offering one-to-one conversations in exchange for a hefty donation to MAGA Inc., a super PAC founded in 2022 that raises funds to support the GOP President, The New Yorker reported.
The price is a cool $5 million, according to the magazine.
It is a hefty hike since December, when MAGA supporters could buy a seat at a group dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago for $1 million. But it follows a spate of White House schemes to raise funds including a crypto dinner that came in at $1.7 million a seat and was billed as the “most exclusive invitation in the world.”
The new cash-to-talk scheme has shocked even the staunchest Trump supporters who are used to buying influence in Washington, The New Yorker reported.
But it’s not clear whether the $5 million investment is worth it, or what’s on offer besides an opportunity to lobby the president in person.
Lobbyists have had success with the administration since the start of Trump’s second term in January.
Pilgrim’s Pride, a U.S. poultry producer, was the largest donor to Trump’s inauguration fund and a few months later the administration announced policy changes that benefitted the company, such as agreeing not to increase salmonella testing, the New Yorker said.
Notable businessmen have also been seen to cozy up to Trump by paying millions into the President’s coffers. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg settled a lawsuit with Trump, agreeing to pay the President $25 million after dining at Mar-a-Lago, the New Yorker reported.
Elon Musk has all but entwined his business interests with the Republican administration – in the latest move, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has emerged as the frontrunner for a contract to develop Trump’s new missile shield project, Golden Dome.
Last Thursday, Trump held a private dinner with more than 200 global investors in his meme coin. Critics warned the event gave investors unprecedented ability to lobby the President in-person while Trump benefits financially from their investment in his cryptocurrency.
Senator Elizabeth Warren described the event as an “orgy of corruption.”
Trump’s money-making schemes extended to merchandise in April with the release of “Trump 2028″ embroidered hats for $50. The cap comes in “MAGA” red.
Presidents are limited to two terms in the White House according to 22nd Amendment of the Constitution meaning Trump will not be able to seek re-election in 2028.
However, in March Trump said he was “not joking” about running for a third term. He told NBC News there were “methods” that would allow him to stay in power, without providing details.
Even if that proves to be a troll, the MAGA Inc. PAC’s vast war chest gives Trump extraordinary staying power in a second term. No second-term president has previously had so much cash and already some it has funded advertising campaigns in seats held by Republicans in districts which Trump lost, seen as the most vulnerable to losing in next year’s midterms, Axios reported. Trump wants to spend the cash not to benefit Republicans altruistically but because he believes a Democratic-held House would impeach him for a third time and wants to avoid that stain, thew outlet reported.
The White House and MAGA Inc. PAC did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Beast.
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