Three years later, the former president’s posture has evolved, though it’s still awfully strange. NBC News reported:

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign operation is asking any down-ballot candidates or Republican groups who use Trump’s name, image or likeness in fundraising solicitations to give some of the money to Trump’s main fundraising committee.

In fact, according to a memo obtained by NBC News, Trump’s co-campaign managers, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, requested a split of “a minimum of 5% of all fundraising solicitations to Trump National Committee JFC. This includes but is not limited to sending to the house file, prospecting vendors, and advertising.”.....

According to a report in Politico, which was first to report on this week’s memo, the former president’s operation insisted that the rationale behind the 5% take is to “dissuade ‘scammers’ from using Trump’s brand without his permission and diluting his ability to raise cash.”

And who knows, maybe there’s some truth to this explanation. But it’s far easier to believe that Trump and his team are badly in need of cash; they’re trailing President Joe Biden and his operation in the dash for campaign funds; there’s only so much money to be made selling Trump-endorsed Bibles and gold sneakers; and this 5% take might help give the presumptive GOP nominee a modest boost at a time of need.