For the first time in two decades, the Teamsters have made a large donation to Republicans, committing $45,000 to the Republican National Committee’s convention fund after a meeting with former President Donald Trump, who is widely expected to be the GOP nominee for 2024. That move is a major about-face for one of the nation’s largest and strongest labor unions, and could signal a growing shift in blue-collar allegiance to the Democrats as the Democratic Party is more and more overtaken by the far left.
As background, the last time the Teamsters donated to the RNC was in 2004, when then-President George W. Bush was fighting John Kerry’s challenge attempt. The Teamsters have supported every major Democratic nominee since Al Gore in 2000, making the donation to the RNC all the more shocking and potentially significant.
Further, earlier in January, former President Donald Trump met with the President of the Teamsters, Sean O’Brien, behind closed doors. While the Teamsters spokesperson, Kara Deniz, insisted in a statement to Fox News Digital that the donation was approved in December of 2023, well before the January meeting, the donation was not registered with the FEC until after the meeting.
“The Teamsters’ contribution to the RNC was approved in December before any meeting with Donald Trump, it was issued in January, and it will be sent soon. The Teamsters contributed $45,000 to both the Democratic and Republican convention funds. It’s not since 2000 that our union has participated in both conventions,” Deniz said in an email to Fox News Digital.
Continuing, Deniz then went on to add, “In the Teamsters, all our members’ voices will be heard, regardless of party. Rank-and-file members will be on the ground and active in both conventions this year to make sure elected officials know the Teamsters’ issues and are hearing the challenges that working people face in this country.”
The donation was made through the Teamsters PAC, which is known formally as Democrat, Republican, Independent Voter Education. The donation was registered with the FEC on January 25, though the RNC, which was reportedly unaware ahead of time that the Teamsters PAC was making the donation, has reportedly not yet received the money.
Further, the donation is important in terms of what it signals, as the Teamsters endorsed Biden in 2020 and, with a membership of about 1.3 million, is one of the largest labor unions in the nation. Thus a shift toward Trump, or at least toward neutrality in 2024, could be a big blow to Biden and boon for Trump as the 2024 race heats up and the two compete for blue-collar votes.
Teamsters President O’Brien, for his part, said, “Our members want to hear from all candidates of all parties about what they plan to do for working people as President. Teamsters are essential to every trade industry in this country. Our members are working in all 50 states and represent every political background, including no affiliation.” He added, “Our union wants every candidate to know that there are 1.3 million Teamsters nationwide whose votes will not be taken for granted. Workers’ voices must be heard.”
Watch Newsweek’s Batya Ungar-Sargon talk about the importance of the donation here:
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