Trump and the GOP say they raised more than $65.6 million

Donald Trump and the Republican Party said they raised more than $65.6 million in March as the former president became the presumptive nominee and installed new party leadership.

Trump and the Republican National Committee closed out the month with $93.1 million in their campaign accounts, a significant increase as they try to catch up to the fundraising of President Joe Biden and the Democrats.

“Our campaign, working together with the RNC, has been steadily ramping up our fundraising efforts, and our March numbers are a testament to the overwhelming support for President Trump by voters all across the spectrum,” Susie Wiles, a senior advisor to Trump's campaign, said in a statement. “Republicans may not be beneficiaries of the self interested largess from Hollywood and Silicon Valley elites, but President Trump is proud to be supported by donations from voters who are the backbone of this nation, which will fuel Republicans up and down the ballot.”

Biden and the Democratic

National Committee have not released fundraising numbers for March, but their political operation said they brought in $53 million in Febrary and closed that month with $155 million cash on hand. Last week, Biden held a fundraiser in New York City with former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, which the campaign said raised a record $26 million.

Biden has been fundraising jointly with his party since he launched his reelection campaign, while Trump first had to clear a field of challengers.

“Donald Trump spent his first month as the presumptive Republican nominee holed up in a back room at Mar-a-Lago with billionaire special interests while he continues to struggle with the kind of grassroots donors who are powering our campaign,” said Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa, referring to Trump's Florida residence. “Trump is spending what money he does have on everything but reaching out to the voters -– and it's obvious he doesn't have the infrastructure, the donor base or the broad appeal to win this election.”