The Day After Trump's Guilty Verdict... 'Republican Big Donor' Makes a Generous 70 Billion Won Donation

Timothy Mellon, a wealthy donor known as a major supporter of the U.S. Republican Party, donated $50 million (approximately 69.6 billion KRW) in political funds to former President Donald Trump's camp the day after Trump was found guilty on charges related to hush money payments in a sexual misconduct scandal.

According to the New York Times (NYT) and others on the 23rd (local time), Mellon donated $50 million (about 69.5 billion KRW) on April 31 to the super PAC supporting former President Trump, "Make America Great Again (MAGA)." This was the day after Trump was found guilty on 34 criminal charges related to hush money payments in the Manhattan court in New York.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

As of the end of April, MAGA's cash holdings were only $34.5 million, but thanks to Mellon's donation, it raised about $70 million during May. MAGA plans to spend $100 million on TV advertisements and other activities by Labor Day (September 2).

Mellon, an heir to a financial asset family, is known as a "reclusive billionaire" because he rarely appears in public. He has been steadily donating to the Republican Party and Trump's camp, including donating $25 million each to super PACs supporting former President Trump and independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr.

The NYT reported that it is rare for an individual to donate $50 million in U.S. political funding, and this donation is expected to be one of the largest single contributions in the history of U.S. political funding. Additionally, with this donation, Mellon became the first donor this year to exceed $100 million in contributions related to the presidential election.

Before securing the Republican presidential nomination in March, former President Trump was significantly behind President Joe Biden in fundraising, but around the time of the guilty verdict, his fundraising surged, nearly closing the gap.