Trump kicks off Newport Beach fundraiser at home of tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey that includes performance by the Beach Boys after President was out-raised by Biden and the Dems by $135m last month
President Donald Trump took a side trip to California Sunday in order to raise funds for his campaign, which has lost its cash advantage to Democrat Joe Biden.
Trump flew to Santa Ana, California Sunday for a high-dollar gathering with supporters hosted at the Newport Beach home of billionaire Palmer Luckey, the 28-year-old founder of the Oculus virtual reality system.
Ticket prices for the gathering started at $2,800 for an attendee ticket to $150,000 for couples co-chairing the event, according to an invitation obtained by Recode.
President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he greets supporters Sunday at Santa Ana's John Wayne Airport. Trump spent several hours in California raising money at the home of tech billionaire Palmer Luckey
President Donald Trump took a few minutes to greet supporters at the John Wayne Airport Sunday before attending a closed door fundraiser
Thousands of people lined President Donald Trump's motorcade route Sunday in Newport Beach, California
Palmer Luckey hosted the president to his Newport Beach home Sunday for a high-dollar fundraiser
Special guests included Ric Grenell, the former acting Director of National Intelligence, and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel, who, like Trump, recently recovered from the coronavirus.
Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle was also listed as a host on the invitation, though she didn't arrive with the president.
Guilfoyle is the ex-wife of California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Trump flew into the Santa Ana's John Wayne Airport where he was greeted by several hundred supporters, who he briefly greeted.
He was traveling with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, a top White House aide, along with press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and senior adviser Hope Hicks, who also recently recovered from COVID-19.
Thousands more lined the motorcade route to Luckey's home - including some boaters who had decked their vessels out in pro-Trump flags.
Orange County has historically been a Republican stronghold in bright blue California, however it voted by a narrow margin in favor of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Clinton won 49.8 per cent of the vote compared to Trump's 44.9 per cent.
Overall in California, 61.7 per cent of the state voted for Clinton, while 31.6 per cent chose Trump four years ago.
But residents of the uber-wealthy GOP stronghold of Newport Beach were lined up ready to help fill the coffers of Trump's campaign, which needs to make up ground with just 16 days until the 2020 election.
In September, when Biden and the Democrats raised $383 million - a new political fundraising record - Trump and Republicans earned $247.8.
The president will resume his rallies later Sunday, flying from California to Nevada for one in Carson City.