Adin Ross, an online streamer with ties to white nationalists, gifted former President Trump a new Tesla Cybertruck and a Rolex watch during Trump’s guest appearance on his show Monday, raising questions over campaign finance law.
The Cybertruck was wrapped with a photo from just after Trump was shot in an attempted assassination last month at a Pennsylvania rally. The hood was emblazoned with his slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
Trump was excited by the gift, walking out of his Mar-a-Lago club during the stream to see it.
“Wow!” he said. “That’s an Elon!”
The former president later called the vehicle “incredible” and “beautiful.”
When Ross presented Trump with a gold Rolex, the former president appeared to joke that only then was his appearance on Ross’s stream worth it.
“Now I know it’s worth it,” he said, calling Rolex a “great watch company.”
It’s unclear if Trump actually accepted the gifts, though if he did, it could violate federal campaign finance law. Contributions to federal candidates from an individual are limited to $3,300, far short of the tens of thousands the vehicle and watch are worth.
Campaign finance watchdog Brendan Fischer told Rolling Stone that he believes Trump will publicly reject the gifts to avoid legal inquiry.
“Giving gifts valued at tens of thousands of dollars to a candidate amounts to an illegal and excessive campaign contribution,” Fischer said. “I suspect that once Trump talks to his lawyers, we’ll get an announcement that he is turning down the gifts or donating them to charity.”
The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Also, during the guest appearance, Trump quickly commented on various political figures in rapid-fire succession, saying Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) has a “good spark” and comparing her to former Argentinian first lady Eva Perón.
Trump also claimed he warned former Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) during his 2018 primary against Ocasio-Cortez that she could be a threat to him politically. Crowley lost that primary to Ocasio-Cortez.
Crowley denied ever hearing from Trump during the 2018 campaign, calling the story “pure BS.”
Trump’s appearance on Ross’s stream also raised concerns with some online given the streamer’s past controversies. He was repeatedly banned from livestreaming platform Twitch for using homophobic slurs and has since moved to alternative platform Kick. There, he has hosted guests including white nationalist Nick Fuentes and accused sex trafficker Andrew Tate.
In March, Ross accidentally revealed that Tate planned to escape house arrest in Romania, where he is currently held on charges of sex trafficking. Tate, himself an influential right-wing figure online, has denied the allegations.
The 23-year-old’s streams usually consist of him playing video games with guests or online gambling to an audience of mostly young boys.
