Donald Trump said Wednesday he “most likely” will be raising money in the general election rather than continuing to self-fund his candidacy.
“I think it’s most likely that I will, because you are talking about a billion dollars or a billion and a half dollars,” he said when asked on “Fox and Friends” if he would begin fundraising. “I’m not looking for myself, I’m looking out for the party, so the party can compete in Senate races and House races. I want to raise money for the party.”
Throughout the primary race, Trump argued his personal wealth meant he was immune to the corrupting influence of money in politics, something central to his populist appeal.
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In March, CNN’s Sara Murray first reported that Trump intended to reverse course and raise money in the general election if he wins the Republican nomination, according to a source familiar with the plan.
Trump and his staff had told some individuals – including potential donors – that as soon as the billionaire businessman secures the nomination, he would pivot and begin fundraising for a general election fight, the source said.
In other interviews Wednesday morning, Trump was more coy about his plans to fundraise.
He told MSNBC he would be “making a decision over the next week” whether to back off his pledge to self-fund his presidential campaign.
READ: Trump plans fundraising blitz, source says
“The question is, I do love self-funding,” he said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And I will make a decision fairly soon as to that. Do I want to sell a couple of buildings and self-fund? I don’t know that I want to do that necessarily, but I really won’t be asking for money for myself, I’ll be asking for money for the party.”
On ABC’s “Good Morning America,” he conceded he would likely accept “small contributions.”
“I’ve spent, I think, it’s listed at $44 million. And that’s been my own money, and I’ve also taken small contributions,” Trump said. “We will probably take small contributions. We’ll take the limits. I don’t want big contributions. Now people can contribute to the party. There’s going to be a unification. There’s no doubt about it. But I’m really looking at small contributions, really not the big ones. I don’t want to have anybody have any influence over me. That I can tell you.”