Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump confirmed Thursday that he had reached out to Sheldon Adelson, a casino magnate and one of the biggest GOP mega-donors.
{mosads}”I had one conversation with Sheldon and all he wants to do is protect Israel,” Trump said during a phone interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“But I don’t want his money. I don’t need his money,” Trump insisted. “I am putting up my own money [for my campaign].”
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Trump had reached out to Adelson over the summer in what the casino developer considered an outreach effort to secure support.
A source close to Adelson told Politico on Wednesday that Trump’s outreach involved “a very clear ask for money.”
“The only thing I can tell you is that Sheldon Adelson is very well protected because I will take care of Israel,” Trump maintained during his MSNBC interview.
Last month, Trump took to Twitter to blast Republican presidential rival, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, after reports surfaced that the mega-donor was leaning toward backing him.
“Sheldon Adelson is looking to give big dollars to Rubio because he feels he can mold him into his perfect little puppet. I agree!” Trump tweeted then.
Trump also went after Rubio in a tweet when Paul Singer, a billionaire investor and another top Republican donor, urged other GOP donors to put their support behind Rubio.
Trump reiterated his attack Wednesday, according to the Boston Herald, saying, “Paul Singer represents amnesty and he represents illegal immigrants pouring into the country and now he’s with Rubio.”
Asked Thursday — including by the Politico report that named Singer — about reports that Trump had reached out to wealthy donors, he focused on pushing back against super-PACs.
Pressed a second time, Trump acknowledged he had spoken with Adelson, but said, “I don’t know who Paul Singer is.”