虽然大多数2024年的主要总统候选人在辩论台上互相竞争周三晚上，在阿拉巴马州的塔斯卡卢萨，前总统唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)花了一天时间参加他的竞选筹款活动和支持他竞选连任的超级政治行动委员会(super PAC)。
特朗普继续选择退出辩论，尽管他的竞争对手提出了尖锐的批评，因为他认为，鉴于他在民调中的大幅领先，他认为没有必要加入他们的舞台，面对问题和他们的攻击。
相反，他在最后两场辩论中举行了大型集会，并在周三与一小群密友和富有的支持者在佛罗里达州哈兰代尔海滩的私人高尔夫俱乐部壳牌湾俱乐部(Shell Bay Club)打高尔夫球和吃饭。
周三，在壳牌湾俱乐部举行了两场单独的筹款活动，一场是为他的竞选活动和他的拯救美国政治行动委员会，另一场是为支持特朗普的超级政治行动委员会让美国再次伟大。
两场筹款活动都由特朗普的朋友霍华德·洛伯(Howard Lorber)、克里斯汀·贝尔(Kristin Bell)和史蒂夫·维特科夫(Steve Witkoff)主持，后者最近在纽约民事审判中作为专家辩护证人作证，特朗普被指控夸大其财产的价值。(他否认有不当行为。)
特朗普的前国家情报总监里克·格雷内尔(Ric Grenell)也参加了超级政治行动委员会(super PAC)的筹款活动。
筹款人是共和党的主要捐助者，他们不愿意在本周期早些时候支持特朗普，或者袖手旁观逐渐回到他身边尽管他有许多争议和法律问题，但他继续保持着在共和党基础上的声望。他在四起刑事案件中拒不认罪。
反特朗普捐助者也被分裂了包括佛罗里达州州长罗恩·德桑蒂斯和前驻联合国大使妮基·黑利。
特朗普的朋友比尔·怀特(Bill White)周三晚上参加了超级政治行动委员会(super PAC)组织的一场晚宴，作为其筹款活动的一部分，他形容这是一个“特殊”的夜晚，周围是一群不同的朋友和支持者。
“在我和唐纳德·特朗普的生活中，我已经参加了100场这样的活动，这是我参加过的最有意义的活动之一，”怀特谈到这场筹款活动，同时称这场辩论“完全是浪费时间。”
怀特说，特朗普在筹款会上的讲话阐述了他可能的第二个任期的一些计划——重复他在竞选活动中的一些巡回演讲，内容是关闭边境，结束参与外国冲突，以及“启动”经济。
怀特说，特朗普还再次质疑拜登的精神和身体健康，拜登对此进行了辩护，并攻击拜登的经济和外交政策等。
他吹嘘特朗普的演讲，称其“感人”且“具有前瞻性”，并坚称自己“深受鼓舞”，以至于当晚捐了更多钱。
然而，特朗普最近也引起了争议包括来自主要竞争对手克里斯·克里斯蒂的批评，因为他本周告诉肖恩·哈尼蒂，如果他在“第一天”再次当选总统，他只会是一个“独裁者”，届时他将专注于边境和钻井。
怀特帮助特朗普竞选团队和超级政治行动委员会筹集资金，他说他不能透露超级政治行动委员会在周三晚上筹集了多少资金，但称之为“又一个创纪录的数字”。
另一场筹款活动是为竞选和拯救美国政治行动委员会(Save America PAC)举办的，也是在壳牌湾俱乐部(Shell Bay Club)，根据活动邀请函，门票为2.3万美元，包括一场招待会和与前总统合影的机会。
At fundraisers while skipping GOP debate, Trump lays out some plans for potential 2nd term
While most of the major 2024 presidential candidateswere competing against each other on the debate stagein Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Wednesday night, former President Donald Trump spent the day attending fundraisers for his campaign and a super PAC supporting his reelection bid.
Trump has continued to opt out of the debates, despite sharp criticism from his rivals, as he argues he sees no point in joining them on stage and facing questions -- and their attacks -- given his large polling lead.
Instead, he has held big rallies for the last two debates and on Wednesday went golfing and dining with a smaller group of close friends and wealthy supporters at Shell Bay Club -- a private golf club in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
Two separate fundraisers took place at Shell Bay Club on Wednesday, one for his campaign and his Save America political action committee, and another for pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again Inc.
Both fundraisers were hosted by Trump friends Howard Lorber, Kristin Bell and Steve Witkoff, the latter of whom recently testified as an expert defense witness in the New York civil trial in which Trump is accused of inflating the value of his properties. (He denies wrongdoing.)
The fundraisers come as major Republican donors that were reluctant to support Trump earlier this cycle or were sitting on the sidelinesgradually come back to himas he continues to maintain his popularity with the Republican base, despite his many controversies and legal troubles. He has pleaded not guilty in four criminal cases.
Anti-Trump donorshave also been dividedamong the various other candidates in the primary, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
Bill White, a friend of Trump who attended a dinner organized by the super PAC as part of its fundraiser on Wednesday night, described the occasion as a "special" night surrounded by a diverse group of friends and supporters.
"I've been to a 100 of these things in in my life with Donald Trump, and it was one of the most meaningful ones I've ever attended," White said of the fundraiser, while calling the debate a “complete waste of time.”
White said Trump's remarks at the fundraiser laid out some of his plans for a possible second term -- repeating some of his stump speech from the campaign trail about closing the borders, ending involvement in foreign conflicts and "jump starting" the economy.
Trump also again questioned Biden’s mental and physical health, which Biden has defended, and attacked Biden's economic and foreign policies, among others, White said.
He boasted about Trump's speech, labeling it "electric" and "forward looking," and maintained that he was "just so inspired" that he donated more money that night.
However, Trumpalso recently stirred controversy, including criticism from primary rival Chris Christie, for telling Sean Hannity this week that he'd only be a "dictator" if reelected as president on "Day 1," when he'd focus on the border and drilling.
White, who helps raise money for both the Trump campaign and the super PAC, said he could not disclose how much the super PAC raised on Wednesday night but called it "another record number."
The other fundraiser, for the campaign and Save America PAC, also at Shell Bay Club, was ticketed at $23,000, including a reception and a photo opportunity with the former president, according to an invitation for the event.
