Biden’s campaign funding for re-election surpasses £120m

US President Joe Biden’s campaign has amassed 155 million US dollars (£121.5 million) in cash on hand for the 2024 election, far exceeding the in-hand total for his Republican opponent Donald Trump.

The president raised 53 million US dollars (£41.5 million) alone last month, which was the strongest grassroots fundraising month since the campaign launched, according to his officials.

Among those efforts was a contest for supporters to attend a fundraiser on March 28 in New York with Mr Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton that raised four million US dollars (£3.1 million) last month.

In an interview last week, Mr Biden said: “The enthusiasm we’re picking up as we go around the country is real.

“We’ve raised a whole lot of money. We have 1.5 million donors, including 500,000 are brand new, they’re small donors; 97% of the donations under 200 dollars (£157).”

Both Mr Biden and Mr Trump clinched their party nominations last week, setting up a 2024 rematch.

Mr Trump’s February fundraising figures have not been released. By the end of January, his two major committees had 36.6 million US dollars (£28.7 million) in cash on hand, and those committees collectively spent more than they took in that month.

A major driver of those costs was legal fees from Mr Trump’s myriad of court cases.

The figures are only a partial snapshot of the Trump operation’s finances because other branches will not have to disclose their numbers until April.

Mr Biden’s cash on hand total is the highest amassed by any Democratic candidate in history during this point in the campaign. Emails to Biden supporters that focused on concerns over Mr Trump helped drive up support last month, the campaign said.

Jaime Harrison, leader of the Democratic National Committee, said: “While Joe Biden and Democrats continue to put up historic grassroots fundraising numbers, Donald Trump and the RNC are in financial disarray.

“Our grassroots supporters know that the stakes of this year could not be higher, and they’re chipping in like our democracy is on the line – because it is.”

Elsewhere, Mr Biden attended the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner in Washington at the weekend, for the first time during his presidency.

In one of several digs at his Republican rival Mr Trump, Mr Biden quipped that of the two presidential candidates, one was mentally unfit, while “the other’s me”.

Mr Biden deflected ongoing criticism that his memory is hazy and he appears confused, instead highlighting moments when the 77-year-old Mr Trump has slipped up, too.

“Don’t tell him, he thinks he’s running against Barack Obama, that’s what he said,” said Mr Biden, 81, who also quipped that he was staying up way past his bedtime.

He went on to highlight what he sees as a real threat to democracy should Mr Trump — who continues to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen — return to the White House.

“We live in an unprecedented moment in democracy,” he said. “An unprecedented moment for history. Democracy and freedom are literally under attack. Putin’s on the march in Europe. My predecessor bows down to him and says to him, ‘do whatever the hell you want’.”

Mr Biden then introduced the Ukrainian ambassador, Oksana Markarova, and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

“We will not bow down. They will not bow down, and I will not bow down,” he said.

Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also attended.

Mr Biden closed the dinner speaking about the importance of a free press.

Although he may not agree with everything the news media prints, he said, he understands the necessity of journalism and said he was still working to bring home journalists Evan Gershkovich and Austin Tice, one held in Russia, the other who disappeared during a reporting trip in Syria.

“Good journalism holds a mirror up to society,” he said. “We need you.”

Mr Biden, dressed in white tie attire and accompanied by his daughter Ashley, and Vice President Kamala Harris were seated at the head table along with foreign leaders, plus Gridiron president Dan Balz of The Washington Post. Also at the table were Mr Balz’s bosses, the Post’s executive editor Sally Buzbee and the newspaper’s owner Jeff Bezos.

No photos or video were allowed at the event at the Grand Hyatt.