Donald Trump, seeking support for his potential return to the White House, has begun a series of engagements with various industries, including vaping, oil, and cryptocurrencies. At a meeting at Mar-a-Lago with vaping industry representatives, Trump pledged renewed support for the industry, recalling his 2019 decision to preserve flavors in e-liquids. The Vapor Technology Association, through its president Tony Abboud, said it was pleased with the candidate’s support in the face of Democrats perceived as repressive toward vaping.
This strategy is notable for its overtly transactional nature: the former president solicits donations while making clear promises of deregulation. In the cryptocurrency sector, for example, Trump recently changed course, going from criticizing the technology to promising to make the United States the “crypto capital of the world” and to fire the regulators most opposed to the sector on his first day in office.
With this approach, Trump has attracted funding from industries eager for deregulation. The shift contrasts with his 2016 statements, when he claimed to be impervious to lobbying, claiming “I don’t need anyone’s money.” Yet today, his team is doubling down on fundraising efforts, particularly in the face of Kamala Harris, who raised twice as much money as he did over the summer. Critics of the shift have called him a “transactional president,” pointing to the unprecedented level of direct promises he has made to campaign contributors.
