{"text":[[{"start":11,"text":"Maga Inc, the main fundraising group supporting Donald Trump, has amassed a war chest of more than $400mn, giving the president’s allies a huge financial advantage in the fight for control of Congress."}],[{"start":23.9,"text":"The Super Pac raised $19mn in June, including $10mn from billionaires Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, who liquidated bitcoin to pay for the contribution, according to federal filings released on Monday."}],[{"start":36.8,"text":"The fundraising vehicle has accumulated more than any other Pac (public action committee) in a non-presidential election year. Ahead of the 2018 and 2022 midterms, Pacs supporting Trump and former president Joe Biden had accumulated less than 5 per cent of Maga Inc’s current cashpile."}],[{"start":55.4,"text":"The group has boosted Republicans’ effort to outraise Democrats ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections, although certain Democratic House and Senate candidates have raised far more than their Republican competitors."}],[{"start":68.65,"text":"Maga Inc’s cash on hand is more than three times larger than that held by the Republican National Committee’s $129mn and almost 25 times larger than the Democratic National Committee’s war chest — a remarkable feat for a president who is barred from running for re-election."}],[{"start":86.55000000000001,"text":"Others who gave at least $1mn to Maga Inc last month include Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman, businessman and Georgia governor candidate Rick Jackson, Patricia Duggan, a philanthropist who Trump appointed to the Kennedy Center board, investor Konstantin Sokolov and a Pac created by Trump adviser David Sacks."}],[{"start":null,"text":"
"}],[{"start":105.30000000000001,"text":"Although Maga Inc could use its largesse to back midterm candidates who support the president’s agenda, it has deployed its riches sparingly. In June, the Super Pac barely spent anything on campaigns. "}],[{"start":117.65,"text":"Maga Inc did not respond to requests for comment."}],[{"start":121.65,"text":"Other Pacs that supported Trump’s last election effort have continued to raise money. Never Surrender Inc raised $5.5mn in the first quarter of 2026, mostly through small-dollar donations. The group holds about $60mn."}],[{"start":134.65,"text":"But Maga Inc remains a singular force. The four political groups aligned with the House and Senate Republican leadership — the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), National Republican Congressional Committee and National Republican Senatorial Committee — have $529mn on hand, according to the latest filings."}],[{"start":155.8,"text":"The Democratic Pacs focused on taking control of Congress in 2026 — the Senate Majority Pac, House Majority Pac, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee — have $336mn."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":171.35000000000002,"text":"Billionaires have again showered money to influence the US political system this election cycle. "}],[{"start":177.70000000000002,"text":"Two of the biggest US donors of the 2026 congressional elections are Susquehanna trading firm co-founder Jeff Yass and Miriam Adelson, a Trump ally and supporter of Israel who is also the wife of the late casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. She has given at least $65mn to Maga Inc, SLF and CLF this year. "}],[{"start":200.60000000000002,"text":"Yass has given more than $87mn to various conservative groups, including $20mn to a Super Pac supporting Vivek Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial campaign in Ohio. The Pac has also attracted $5mn from Elon Musk and $1mn from hedge fund manager Bill Ackman."}],[{"start":220.95000000000002,"text":"From Wall Street, Citadel founder Ken Griffin and Blackstone chief executive Stephen Schwarzman have respectively donated $15mn and $13mn to Republican congressional campaign groups. Schwarzman and Griffin gave another $10mn and $2.5mn to Pine Tree Results, a Super Pac supporting Republican senator Susan Collins in Maine."}],[{"start":243.85000000000002,"text":"US law allows Super Pacs to raise unlimited funds for political campaigns."}],[{"start":250.3,"text":"The crypto and AI industries have also continued to flood the US political system with cash. Fairshake, a pro-crypto Super Pac, has amassed $127mn as of the end of June, while Leading the Future, a pro-AI Super Pac that supports lighter regulation, has $31mn in its coffers."}],[{"start":268.45,"text":"OpenAI president Greg Brockman and his wife Anna donated a combined $50mn to Maga Inc and Leading the Future in December. Billionaire Marc Andreessen has given about $43mn to Leading the Future, Maga Inc and Fairshake."}],[{"start":284.45,"text":"In May, Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei donated $1mn to Public First, a Super Pac in favour of more AI safety regulations, in his first significant federal contribution. But the Pac holds less than half a million dollars."}],[{"start":301.25,"text":"Certain standout Democratic candidates have raised more than their Republican opponents even as the party’s national fundraising trails the GOP."}],[{"start":308.95,"text":"Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, a Democrat, had about $20mn more on hand at the end of June than his Republican opponent Ken Paxton. Lone Star Rising Pac, a pro-Talarico Super Pac, was boosted by a $10mn donation from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. "}],[{"start":334.84999999999997,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1784617973_4449.mp3"}