Pro-Trump PAC seeking to raise $100 million for AI campaign targeting

EXCLUSIVE — A pro-Trump super political action committee is looking to raise $100 million for “groundbreaking” artificial intelligence campaign tactics to rally support for former President Donald Trump.

Place America First PAC, funded by two billionaires, seeks to raise $100 million to fuel digital and grassroots campaigns that would use “cutting-edge AI models designed to mobilize voters and dominate the electoral battleground in key swing states.”

The initiative, first shared with the Washington Examiner, launched Thursday morning to support Trump’s campaign. The Super PAC will not be supporting any other candidates for Congress with its AI methods.

“Through breakthroughs in AI technology, we are poised to shake the foundations of the current political landscape and steer our nation back to its rightful course,” Diana London, spokeswoman for Place America First, said in a statement. “With every dollar raised, we will extend our reach, ensuring the America First message resonates in every corner of key battleground states.”

The campaign strategy would use AI technology from LeadHQ to help organizers pinpoint the best places for door-knocking, mailers, TV and radio ads, and texting banks that will garner the maximum effect on undecided voters.

Voters who contribute at least $100,000 will be able to attend a fundraising event featuring Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), in Winter Park, Florida, which is expected to take place next month.

One of the PAC’s billionaire backers, Jeff Allen Yarchever, became CEO and chairman of Place America First in November 2023. He founded Jet Apparel Group, which is one of the largest off-brand price apparel distributors in America, per the PAC. He also served as the honorary consul to Latvia in the United States from 2006 to 2014.

The AI initiative comes as Republicans look to capitalize on the momentum from the Republican National Committee and the fundraising waves that have come following the former president’s conviction in a New York hush-money case. In the days after the announcement that Vance would be Trump’s running mate, the Ohio senator also jumped on the campaign trail to raise money for what is expected to be a razor-thin presidential election.

Vance traveled to California, a state whose House races could decide who holds the lower chamber’s majority, Monday to host a fundraiser in Palo Alto as he looks to connect with tech billionaires and conservatives and bolster his and Trump’s campaign, according to Mercury News.

On Tuesday, Vance is holding another fundraiser in Reno, Nevada, a state where Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) is facing a tough opponent, Republican Army veteran Sam Brown.

Democrats’ chances in November appear to have improved since President Joe Biden dropped out and quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris has yet to choose her running mate, who will face off against Vance in debates. Excitement over a new candidate and the departure from conversations on Biden’s age and health have energized the Democratic Party, causing several voting blocs to host Zoom fundraising events to connect with people all over the country — and many are bringing in donations by the millions.

Targeting swing states with AI strategies could help Trump as some surveys show he is losing his lead against Biden to Harris. A poll from Bloomberg/Morning Consult released Tuesday found Harris erased Trump’s lead in seven battleground states, with 48% of voters saying they back Harris and 47% saying they support Trump. Other polls have shown that Trump is still leading, but the wave of support for Harris’s candidacy is likely to cause the former president’s lead to fluctuate over the next few months.