Billionaire industrialist David Koch will not give any financial contribution for the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Cleveland, where Donald Trump is expected to be declared as the party’s presidential nominee.
David Koch was among the individuals who provided that largest funding for the RNC in 2012.
Kenneth Spain, the spokesman for Koch Industries said David and his brother Charles Koch will not contribute to the RNC Host Committee this year. The Koch brothers are among the biggest and the most influential donors for the Republican Party.
David Koch attended as a delegate and gave $1 million to support the RNC in Tampa, Florida four years ago. He is not a delegate and has no plans to attend the convention this year, according to Spain.
The Koch brothers have been very vocal about their disapproval of Trump, who already alienated some Republican leaders and donors.
Charles Koch’s criticisms against Trump
In April, Charles Koch told ABC News that Hillary Clinton could be a better president than the candidates of the Republican Party. He criticized Trump for his proposals to create a Muslim registry, which he considered a “reminiscent of Nazi Germany” and “monstrous.”
In an interview with USA Today this week, Charles Koch said Trump’s attacks on the federal judge based on his Mexican heritage is “unacceptable”
The Republican presumptive nominee repeatedly stated that Judge Gonzalo Curiel has an “absolute conflict: in presiding over the lawsuits filed against Trump University because of his “Mexican heritage.” He even ordered his surrogates to intensify their criticisms on the judge and question his credibility.
House Speaker Ryan and other Republican leaders rebuked Trump’s racist comments against the judge. Ryan said, “I do absolutely disavow those comments. They are wrong. Claiming a person can’t do their job because of their race is certainly the textbook definition of a racist comment.”
Trump campaign likely to launch Sanders-style fundraising
Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign will likely launch a Sanders-style fundraising, which would target small donors, according to Reuters based on information from two top donors who attended the first meeting of the Republican presumptive nominee’s national finance.
Gaylord Hughey, co-chairman of Trump’s fundraising in Texas, said, “The pitch to this group in the room was a traditional pitch, but the backroom discussion was, because of this being a populist movement, there’s going to be significant outreach to, you know, those who give $1, $2, $20. There’s a huge opportunity there.”
 in Cleveland, where Donald Trump is expected to be declared as the party’s presidential nominee.){kind=link}