Former president Trump rattled billionaire mega donors after pushing back on much needed reassurance during a campaign dinner, according to reports.
In an article based on interviews with more than a dozen people close to the former president, The New York Times revealed the comments made by Trump.
Around 130 people attended the dinner at the home of Howard Lutnick, Cantor Fitzgerald Chief Exec, in Bridgehampton on August 2.
Those in attendance included some of Trump’s wealthiest supporters including billionaire financier Bill Ackman who sat beside him.
While some guest hoped Trump would signal a recalibration of his approach to his campaign, he opted instead to revive false claims about the 2020 election.
During a round-table discussion, Trump told the billionaire attendees that ‘we’ve got to stop the steal’, a phrase his advisers urged him to drop, according to the outlet.
In an article based on interviews with over a dozen people close to the former president, The New York Times revealed the comments made by Trump
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the crowd at a rally at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday
Two people present told the Times that Trump also brought up his remarks he made concerning Vice President Kamala Harris’s racial identity, telling those, ‘I think I was right.’
He also said that the media had been suggesting he had somewhat mellowed following the attempt on his life, saying, ‘I’m not nicer.’
One person in attendance told the outlet that Trump described himself as ‘angry’ because the Democrats had tried to bankrupt him and kill him.
When asked how he planned to take the narrative back from the Democrats and what his vision for the country he reportedly provided none.
Does Trump need a new campaign strategy?
Instead, he went on the attack and criticized Kamala Harris instead, before telling those in attendance: ‘I am who I am.’
While Harris has seemingly overtaken Trump in key battleground states, Trump has struggled to land a consistent argument against her.
Insiders said he had found the transformation after Biden dropped out as being disorientating.
They told the Times he has been knocked off his bearings and has changed since recent events like the Republican National Convention.
In response to the change in rivals, behind close doors, he has reportedly branded Harris a ‘b****’, two people told the outlet.
His campaign denied that language in a statement, but his quickness to attack has reportedly left him open to manipulation.
U.S. President Donald Trump presents physician Miriam Adelson, wife of Sheldon Adelson, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 16, 2018
Kamala Harris responds to comments Trump made at the NABJ event
The outlet reported that just a week before the dinner, Trump stunned one of his wealthiest donors, Miriam Adelson, after he had an aide send a series of angry text messages in his name.
The texts came one week after Adelson and Trump had a meeting together the week previously during the Republican National Convention.
According to the outlet, the texts complained about people running Adelson’s super PAC, Preserve America, which is pouring millions into Trump’s campaign.
The texts said that officials at the PAC were ‘RINOs’, Republicans in name only, and that her late husband wouldn’t have tolerated it.
Two people told the Times that Adelson later discovered that the messages had been encouraged by another mega donor, Ike Perlmutter, former chairman of Marvel.
The sources said that Perlmutter had hoped that Adelson would contribute to a rival super PAC that he backs.
According to the outlet the text messages have raised concerns that Adelson might start to scale back her support of Trump.
Trump has been fielding complaints from donors about his Vice President pick JD Vance, especially after previous statements from him were unearthed.
A number of past comments have come back to haunt the Ohio Senator including a remark that the country was being run by ‘childless cat ladies’ like Harris.
Trump reportedly dismissed these concerns even after suggestions that he replace Vance.
He has privately asked advisers whether they had known about Vance’s comments about childless women before he was picked.
At the fundraiser on August 2, Trump was asked at a round-table discussion about Democrats trying to paint the duo as ‘weird’.
Two people with knowledge of the event told the outlet that Trump replied: ‘Not about me. They’re saying that about JD.’
Sources said that Trump hasn’t lost any confidence in Vance but told him to continue attacking Harris and her new running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
While publicly claiming he is happier to face Harris than Biden in the election, sources claimed this was not true.
He is also reportedly unsettled over positive news coverage for Harris, something he has never been used to before in his political life.
A number of past comments have come back to haunt the Ohio Senator, seen here, including a remark that the country was being run by ‘childless cat ladies’ like Harris
While publicly claiming he is happier to face Harris than Biden in the election, sources claimed this was not true
Tony Fabrizio, the Trump campaign’s chief pollster, told the outlet: ‘[Harris] has gotten the equivalent of the largest in-kind contribution of free media I think I have ever seen in all the years I’ve been doing presidential campaigns.’
Soon after Harris replaced Biden, Fabrizio stressed to staff that the polls would dip against Trump before recovering.
He has insisted that the race has not changed and that voters will sour on Harris eventually.
Trump has claimed, without any evidence, that Biden has regretted his decision to stand down and wished to undo it on his Truth Social platform.
Insiders said he has repeatedly talked about how badly the Democrats have treated Biden, complained about having to start the race again and face another opponent.
The Times said that Trump has become increasingly interested in Harris’s momentum, asking ‘constantly’ about new polling.
He is also reportedly struggling to settle on how to define Harris, what to attack her on, and what nickname to belittle her with.
Trump initially poked fun at her laugh, branding her ‘Laffin’ Kamala’, which didn’t stick. Before picking ‘Crooked’, that he has used on President Biden constantly.
Top advisers have urged his campaign to focus on the economy, immigration and crime, areas where Trump’s message has worked well with voters.
Trump has been told to portray Harris as someone who changes her stances on topics, calling her ‘fake’.
Kellyanne Conway, who managed his campaign in 2016, reportedly told Trump to use policy contrasts rather than personal attacks against her.
Despite this, he branded her ‘nasty’ and said she was ‘very disrespectful’ to her Black and Indian heritages at a news conference earlier this week.
In a statement, a Trump spokesman said that Trump ‘continues to run a winning campaign and has built a movement focused on making our nation great again.’
While another added that Trump has put forward a ‘positive’ vision for the country, in contrast with the ‘dangerously liberal policies’ of Biden and Harris.
Harris is now set to debate Trump on September 10 on ABC, setting up the first face-to-face match-up between the rivals in what polls show is a close race.
