Trump touts fake $25mn call with ExxonMobil

President Donald Trump says he could raise $1bn for his campaign in a day if he solicited large campaign contributions from ExxonMobil and other major corporations, but chooses not to because of his integrity.

Trump yesterday told supporters in Arizona that he could be "the greatest fundraiser in history" if he were to seek contributions from corporate leaders in exchange for favorable government treatment. Trump made the remarks in what seems to be an attempt to explain his fundraising disadvantage in the presidential campaign. Trump and allies raised $248mn last month, compared to $383mn raised by Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

"So I call some guy at the head of Exxon — I do not know, you know. ‘How are you doing? How is the energy coming? When are you doing the exploration? Oh, you need a couple of permits, huh?'" Trump said at the Arizona event. "I say, ‘I'd love you to send me $25mn for the campaign.' ‘Absolutely sir, why didn't you ask? Would you like some more?'"

Trump added, "I would raise $1bn dollars in one day, if I wanted to. I do not want to do that."

Such a solicitation, if it were to happen, would most likely run afoul of US federal corruption laws. US law makes it illegal for an elected official to "directly or indirectly" seek anything of value in exchange for an "official act."

ExxonMobil said the call did not happen.

"We are aware of the President's statement regarding a hypothetical call with our CEO," ExxonMobil said in a post on Twitter. "And just so we are all clear, it never happened."

Trump has previously flirted with using the power of the presidency in a mercurial way.

Trump's request last year for Ukraine's president to "do us a favor" by opening an investigation connected to Biden was at the center of his impeachment trial in the US House of Representatives, which led to his acquittal by the Senate.

By Chris Knight