Exclusive: Former President Trump touted the success of his fundraiser in San Francisco on Thursday night as a major shift in support, raising $12 million and calling it a “great testament” to his work winning the backing of Silicon Valley’s top venture capitalists.
Trump told Fox News Digital that the fundraiser’s hosts, tech industry leaders David Sachs and Chamath Pariphapitiya (Silicon Valley luminaries and co-hosts of the podcast “All In”), were “very unhappy” with Biden.
“These are great people. The AI people. The people who do all the stuff you’ve read about,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “They’re just great people. They can’t relate to Biden because he’s a dumbass human being. I have a high IQ.”
“They don’t want to date someone with an IQ a third lower than theirs, because even if you have an IQ of 180, it’s hard to date someone with an IQ of 70 or below,” Trump said, blasting his opponent. “Biden is a guy with a very low IQ.”
Trump told Fox News Digital that Sachs’ “strong” endorsement is “a great testament to what I’ve accomplished.”
Trump heads to surprisingly Democratic states for big campaign fundraiser
Former President Donald Trump held a rally in New York City on May 23, 2024, in the historically Democratic neighborhood of the South Bronx. (Spencer Pratt/Getty Images)
“That king of the world, David Sachs, and the group that we were with are some of the most respected people in San Francisco in both business and tech,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “They love our country, and they understand the future of technology better than any group in the world.”
“One of the main reasons I’m endorsing him is because our four years as president have been the best four years in history for the tech industry, and the tech industry is going to play an increasingly important role in our country’s future, especially as it relates to AI and all the other amazing new technologies that are emerging,” Trump said. “It’s a very exciting time, and it’s a great honor to have some of the best minds supporting our greatest leader ever.”
Sachs endorsed Trump on Thursday night.
“My reasons are based on four key issues that I believe are critical to the prosperity, security and stability of the United States. The Biden administration has strayed significantly on these issues, but I believe President Trump can get us back on track,” Sachs said Thursday.
Tickets for the sold-out event ranged from $50,000 per person for admission to $500,000 per couple for special admission as part of the host committee. The event was held at Sachs’ multi-million dollar mansion in San Francisco’s upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood.
Trump said the fundraiser featured “some of the most powerful industry minds from downtown San Francisco.”
Trump gets backing from top investor who hosted $12 million fundraiser for former president in San Francisco
“Number one, they liked my work. And remember, when I started I wasn’t a politician. So it’s hard to get support when you’re not a politician,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “But for four years they’ve done better than they’ve ever done before, with less regulation. They’re a group of people who can’t stand regulation that gets in the way of their growth.”
Former United States President Donald Trump attends the UFC 302 event at the Prudential Center on June 1, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Jeff Botali/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Trump, meanwhile, described driving through traditionally Democratic San Francisco.
“The Secret Service escorted us through downtown San Francisco, and there were thousands of people waving,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “I’m talking downtown San Francisco. People were yelling in the streets with love. It was a beautiful sight.”
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Trump added, “I was just amazed. Nothing bad happened, nothing bad was said. I got a lot of love yesterday. The meeting was great.”
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
