Trump Makes Millions of Dollars Available to Republican Candidates as Control of Congress Hangs in the Balance

Donald Trump has authorized the use of millions of dollars from his political committee to help Republican candidates facing the toughest races in the November elections. The decision comes as concern within the Republican Party grows over retaining its majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Sources told CNN that the president’s political team has not yet decided on the final amount of funding. One person familiar with the discussions cited about $30 million as an initial installment, while another official said the final amount had not yet been determined.

The effort to raise and distribute the funds is expected to begin in the coming weeks. It is seen as Trump’s first major attempt to mobilize political resources in the final stage of the race as the November elections approach.

Republicans are also facing concerns related to the war with Iran and high fuel costs. They believe these factors could depress voter turnout and weaken the party’s candidates.

“There is a path to keeping the House and the Senate,” a source told CNN, but added that the current situation did not yet warrant optimism about that outcome.

Trump is also expected to return to the campaign trail in person to support Republican candidates. One of his advisers said the president plans to travel at least once a week and hold rallies in districts where Republicans face competitive races.

The move had been promised for months, as Republicans view Trump’s presence on the campaign trail as an important tool for energizing his “MAGA” base. However, his advisers acknowledge that the president’s involvement may not be sustained.

“We’ll see how long this lasts,” one adviser said, suggesting that Trump could tire of the travel and turn his attention back to other priorities.

Within the Republican camp, there are no great expectations that Trump will manage to persuade a significant number of independent or undecided voters. Those voters were an important part of the coalition that helped him win the 2024 election.

For that reason, the main focus will be on mobilizing millions of voters from the “MAGA” base, who typically turn out at lower rates in midterm elections.

“Without question, we need to make sure that some of these voters who turn out for Donald Trump in presidential elections also come out to vote for congressional candidates,” the adviser said.

In recent months, however, there have not been many developments capable of mobilizing the Republican base. Before the August recess, Republicans in Congress became embroiled in internal debates over a Trump-backed bill that called for stricter federal voter identification requirements and new election restrictions.

Another source of concern for Republicans is the conflict with Iran and its impact on fuel prices. In private conversations, Trump’s advisers have expressed fears to the president that a prolonged war could hurt the party’s chances in the November elections.

CNN’s sources say that even voters who generally support Trump’s objectives in Iran are concerned that the conflict could drag on and drive up prices in the US.

High fuel prices have become a particular problem for the administration because they are one of the most visible signs of the cost-of-living crisis troubling American citizens.

Vice President JD Vance and outgoing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt have begun placing greater emphasis this week on the need to lower fuel prices.

“I believe both objectives are equally important to the president: We want to keep fuel prices low, but we also want to make sure Iran never has a nuclear weapon,” Leavitt said.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly said publicly that he is prepared to continue the war for as long as necessary to win it.

The president himself has signaled that the midterm elections are not necessarily his main focus at this time. In an interview with Punchbowl News, he said: “I won. I’m not campaigning.”

Despite that statement, people close to him insist that Trump wants Republicans to win as many races as possible in November. One adviser explained that the president does not want to get involved in campaigns he considers lost causes.

“He doesn’t want to carry dead bodies across the finish line,” the adviser said, emphasizing that Trump is highly selective about which candidates receive his public support.

The president understands that a Democratic victory in either the House of Representatives or the Senate would have significant consequences for the final two years of his term.

“The next two years will be damn awful if we lose both chambers. And Trump knows that,” a source told CNN.

The Republican strategy for the November elections is being developed by a small group of advisers who worked with Trump during the 2024 campaign and in previous campaigns.

The team is led by James Blair, a former Trump political adviser. It also includes Chris LaCivita, co-manager of Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign, Taylor Budowich, Timothy Saler and pollster Tony Fabrizio.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles continues to take part in developing the strategy for the November elections.

A change in the team’s composition was announced this week when Karoline Leavitt said she would step down as White House press secretary at the end of August, just two months before the elections.

Nevertheless, Republicans believe they still have several advantages that could help them in the November contest. One involves the redrawing of electoral district maps in several states, a process directly encouraged by Trump.

Those changes have shifted some areas in Republicans’ favor and reduced the number of races considered genuinely competitive.

Another development welcomed by Republicans was the Supreme Court’s decision on limits on the amount official campaign committees can spend on individual candidates. Party strategists believe the ruling could strengthen their position in the financial battle with Democrats.

“Our money will go much further,” a Republican campaign official said.

Despite these factors, concern remains within the Republican Party that time is limited and that the Trump administration must act quickly ahead of the November elections.