Trump won’t take public financing for his campaign

In a Tuesday interview with the Associated Press, Donald Trump said he would forego public funds for his campaign.

Accepting the public funds would eliminate the need for Trump to have a large fundraising operation, but would also limit the amount he would be able to spend against Hillary’s well-funded campaign. Trump also said that he did not “like the idea of taking taxpayer money to run a campaign.”

Public money comes from the check box at the end of annual tax filings where filers are asked if they’d like to give to the next presidential campaign. Candidates are increasingly avoiding the program due to it’s small contribution and ungainly spending limits. John McCain was the last general election presidential candidate to take public funds.

Trump also told AP that he was going to be running his campaign the same way he has been running it which would keep his costs low.

Donald won’t be running any big data operations or expensive ad campaigns. Trump will instead focus on the large rallies that have been a staple of his primary run. “My best investment is my rallies. The people go home, they tell their friends they loved it” Trump said.

As of March 31st, Trump’s campaign had been largely funded by his own money in the form of loans. $36.2 million of the $49.3 million raised was from Donald’s money.

Trump expects to need about $1.5 billion to fund his campaign through November and has turned to the Republican National Committee’s fundraising machine to help him reach that goal.

Trump faces one large fundraising obstacle – some large bundling operations/Super PACs are holding out on the presumptive nominee.

Mark Holden, chairman of the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, one of the Koch network’s main umbrella groups, signaled that it would require a significant change in tactics by Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, for his group to open the spigot.

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The Karl Rove-led group American Crossroads is also in a wait-and-see crouch, with officials saying they have no immediate plans to buttress the Republican nominee.

Funds raised during the general election cycle can go to paying back the money Trump loans his campaign.