The Democratic Party is about $10 million short for hosting the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July — and host committee chairman Ed Rendell said Friday that it was in part because of Donald Trump.
"We’ve had three blows," Rendell jokingly
told BuzzFeed News. "The fed, the city, and the Trumpster."
Rendell, the former Pennsylvania governor and Philadelphia mayor, said that "including pledges from companies I know are going to write the check, we’re $9 to $10 million down.
"It’s a legitimate gap but we’re touching every base to fill it," he said.
The cost of the four-day convention, at the Wells Fargo Center, will be about $64 million.
Rendell, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, cautioned that the shortfall needed to be seen in context.
In 2012, the federal government contributed $18 million, he told BuzzFeed. The city of Philadelphia would provide no money — and that contribution could have been as much as $7.75 million.
"So we’re down $25.75 million," Rendell told BuzzFeed. "It’s been a heavy lift."
As for Trump, his rhetoric and positions have made some companies wary of giving for the Republican National Convention.
Many corporations give to both party conventions to avoid the appearance of bias, according to the report.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.