Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has spent tens of millions of dollars fewer than Mitt Romney’s campaign had at this point in the election cycle in 2012.
A comparison of the Romney For President FEC report for May 2012 and the Donald J. Trump For President May 2016 monthly report shows that Romney’s campaign operating expenditures at the same point in his campaign were $33.6 million more than Trump’s.
The low level of spending is due in part to the campaign’s small-scale staff. Anonymous sources told MSNBC Monday that without the addition of an effective communications staff he would “likely lose the election.”
Trump responded by tweeting, “I am getting bad marks from certain pundits because I have a small campaign staff. But small is good, flexible, save money and number one!”
I am getting bad marks from certain pundits because I have a small campaign staff. But small is good, flexible, save money and number one!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2016
And according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports, Trump is right.
Trump’s campaign spending has totaled a little over $56 million, a meager sum compared to Hillary Clinton’s $179 million in expenses, according to her May 2016 FEC monthly filing.
Clinton continues to hold a 45-40 lead over Trump nationally, according to the latest polling by Investor’s Business Daily.