The labor union Teamsters recently gave its first donation to the Republican National Committee (RNC) in 20 years after having a meeting with Donald Trump.
Federal records show that, following a second meeting with former president and leading GOP candidate Trump, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters contributed $45,000 to the RNC. The donation made by the union—which represents over a million transportation workers in both America and Canada—was the maximum amount allowed.
The massive gift came two months after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) received a donation from Teamsters in December 2023, amounting to $135,000. DNC had previously been awarded an additional $15,000 from the union in March 2023.
Trump, who is currently the leading candidate in the polls for the upcoming 2024 presidential election, had a meeting with the Teamsters three weeks ago in an effort to try and earn the labor union’s endorsement.
During the 2020 match-up between Trump and President Joe Biden—a competition which many expect to repeat itself this year—Biden won the endorsement from the Teamsters.
Trump’s recent meeting with the union in its Washington, D.C. headquarters included several members of the Teamsters as well as its executive board, General President Sean O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman.
Trump had previously met with O’Brien on January 4. As promoted in a February 22 social media post put out by Republican political consultant and Trump supporter Alex Bruesewitz, the Teamsters donation on January 25 was the first major gift sent to the RNC since 2004.
Trump's union win: GOP snags first major Teamsters donation in years
AMERICAN WORKERS FOR TRUMP!https://t.co/bETnZPbAkp
— Alex Bruesewitz 🇺🇸 (@alexbruesewitz) February 22, 2024
Although he has yet to receive an official endorsement from the union, Trump explained in a press conference after the meeting that he was confident he has a “good shot” at receiving support from the Teamsters. However, the union has not indicated its preferred candidate yet.
O’Brien reportedly said that the union leaders have “more questions” they plan to ask “both candidates” before deciding whether to endorse Trump or Biden for president.
While the final call remains to be seen, the Teamsters have a history of supporting Democratic candidates, having endorsed Biden in 2020, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.
