US President Donald Trump (R) gestures as he talks with US Ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson (L) making ready to board Marine One to leave the United States ambassador’s place of dwelling Winfield Area in London on July 13, 2018.
Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Pictures
Billionaire and New York Jets proprietor Woody Johnson is a part of an overly small staff inside of former President Donald Trump’s internal circle: Rich supporters who’re keen to take a position their very own non-public capital to persuade Republican megadonors to donate to Trump’s presidential marketing campaign.
Now not handiest is Johnson backing Trump himself, he’s additionally doing one thing much more vital: Lobbying individuals of the unofficial Republican billionaire’s membership to come back again into Trump’s fold, mentioned a number of of Johnson’s allies who had been granted anonymity with a purpose to relay personal conversations.
“The gross sales pitch from crew Johnson has been ‘it’ll be Trump in line with the polling. Are you simply now not going to get at the teach as Trump heads to be the nominee?’” a Republican fundraiser acquainted with the engagement advised CNBC.
Past the outreach to fellow donors, Johnson has additionally signaled that he plans to lend a hand prepare and host fundraisers for Trump as the main season ramps up subsequent 12 months, when the pivotal caucus and number one elections start, an individual with regards to the Jets proprietor defined.
Up to now, most of the largest names in Republican fundraising, like Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, metal multi-millionaire Andy Sabin and actual property titan Stephen Ross, are reluctant to “get at the teach” with Trump. A number of of them have mentioned each privately and publicly that they had been upset with the previous president after his first time period ended with the fatal Jan. 6, 2021, assault at the Capitol.
However now not Johnson. An established non-public pal of Trump’s and his ambassador to the UK from 2017-21, Johnson has advised pals he’s all in on serving to his onetime boss win again the White Area in 2024, in line with other folks acquainted with the topic.
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Up to now, they mentioned, none of Trump’s controversies, now not the 91 legal fees he faces in state and federal court docket, nor his persevered false insistence that he received the 2020 election, nor even the rebel on Capitol Hill that has resulted in additional than 370 jail sentences to this point, has chipped away at Johnson’s improve for Trump.
To the contrary, Johnson has remained for my part with regards to Trump all through his post-presidency. Since April, pals of Johnson’s say he has taken phase in conferences and attended small, personal dinners with the previous president at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s personal membership in Florida.
At a CNN the city corridor in New Hampshire in Would possibly, the previous president publicly thanked a person he known as “Woody” and gestured throwing a soccer. On the time, it was once unclear precisely what Trump was once pointing at.
It was once Johnson, an individual with direct wisdom later advised CNBC, including that Trump’s crew had given the Jets proprietor and his aides particular tickets to the development.
The ones with regards to Johnson consider that if Trump had been elected president in 2024, the billionaire would settle for a task in a 2nd Trump management, in large part because of how a lot he loved his years as an envoy.
A spokesman for Johnson declined to remark. A consultant for the Jets and a spokesman for the Trump marketing campaign didn’t go back requests for remark.
An inheritor to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune with an estimated internet value of simply over $3 billion, Johnson already donated $1 million to the pro-Trump tremendous PAC, Make The usa Nice Once more Inc., in April of this 12 months.
This contribution made Johnson one in all handiest seven donors who gave $1 million or extra to the PAC within the first part of this 12 months, in line with Federal Election Fee data.
However whilst only a few of Trump’s richest donors from 2016 and 2020 have donated to his present marketing campaign, it isn’t as a result of they’ve been doling out thousands and thousands to lend a hand his number one fighters, both.
Robert Mercer and Rebekah Mercer attend the 2017 TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Middle on April 25, 2017 in New York Town.
Patrick McMullan | Getty Pictures
As a substitute, key individuals like Rebekah Mercer and Peter Thiel, other folks whose improve would ship crucial sign to the remainder of the donor elegance, seem to be sitting at the sidelines and ready to look how the crowded Republican number one box shakes out ahead of they make large donations.
However the sheer proven fact that GOP donors are nonetheless ready to look what occurs, when one candidate is dominating the sector by way of 50+ issues is a testomony to how reluctant they’re to again Trump, and the way doggedly they’re maintaining out hope that some other Republican can win the nomination.
The newest Quinnipiac ballot confirmed the previous president profitable 62% of improve within the GOP number one, together with his closest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at simply 12%.
This hole between how robust Trump is polling as opposed to how rather susceptible his improve is amongst primary donors has added a recent urgency to Johnson’s calls to onetime individuals and their advisors to take a look at to get them again in Trump’s nook, in line with the ones acquainted with the outreach.
For now, Johnson’s function continues to be in large part at the back of the scenes. Since Trump’s departure from the White Area, the 2 males have handiest had a couple of public interactions.
Considered one of them was once at a rally closing 12 months for TV host Dr. Mehmet Ounces’s failed Senate marketing campaign.
As he took the degree, Trump gave Johnson a shoutout.
“A chum of mine who is a smart businessman and a perfect particular person, Mr. Woody Johnson and his spouse Suzanne Johnson,” mentioned Trump.