Miami GP organizers prevent fundraising for Trump campaign

April 29, 2024 10:05

A key fundraiser for Donald Trump has been told he will not be able to use a paddock suite at the upcoming Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix to raise funds to support Trump’s new presidential campaign.

Steven Witkoff is a New York real estate developer and a prominent supporter of former President Trump, who is seeking reelection as President of the United States after Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

Witkoff had purchased a Paddock Club Rooftop suite at the Miami GP next weekend, but according to the Washington Post newspaper, he was charging US$250,000 per head for anyone who wanted to attend the GP and help with Trump’s campaign, also having recently testified in the civil case against Trump in New York, in which he was fined $350 million on a financial fraud charge.

According to a ‘Cease and Desist’ letter sent by the Miami GP organizers, this ‘clearly violates the terms of the suite’, and informed Witkoff that if the statement were true, he would not be allowed to participate in the race and a refund total would be issued to him.

The aforementioned newspaper also reported that Trump is expected to attend next weekend’s race in Miami, with the Secret Service reportedly coordinating his schedule at the circuit, and that Witkoff described the claims as ‘false’ but did not provide further details.

Trump would not be the first American president to participate in an F1 race, with Bill Clinton having been present at the 2017 United States GP. Former first lady Michelle Obama was present during the inaugural Miami race in 2022.

While still in office in 2020, Trump also attended NASCAR’s iconic Daytona 500 race and took a few ceremonial laps leading the field in his armored vehicle nicknamed ‘The Beast’.

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