JD Vance Raises More Than $5 Million at Southampton Fundraiser as 2028 Speculation Builds

About 35 guests — including Donald Trump Jr. and some of the Republican Party’s rising young donors — gathered at 1789 Capital President Omeed Malik’s Southampton home, with dinner contributions reaching $250,000 per person.

Vice President JD Vance brought some serious political money to the Hamptons this week.

A Wednesday night fundraiser at the Southampton home of 1789 Capital President Omeed Malik raised more than $5 million for the Republican National Committee, drawing approximately 35 guests and offering an early look at the donor network forming around Vance as speculation continues over a possible 2028 presidential run, according to Axios.

The guest list included Donald Trump Jr., Polymarket founder Shayne Coplan and GRV Strategies founder Garrett Ventry.

Also attending were Cantor Fitzgerald President Brandon Lutnick, son of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and World Liberty Financial co-founder Zach Witkoff, son of senior Trump adviser Steve Witkoff. Chris Buskirk, president of the conservative Rockbridge Network and a longtime Vance ally, was among the event’s hosts.

The price of admission reflected the room.

Guests attending the reception contributed $100,000 to the RNC. About 20 people stayed for a smaller dinner, where contributions reached $250,000 per person.

Trump Jr. attended with Bettina Anderson, who later shared photos from the Southampton gathering on social media.

A $5 Million Night — and a Look Toward 2028

Vance’s presence in the Hamptons was about more than one successful fundraising night.

The vice president serves as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, a role that has put him in direct contact with some of the party’s most significant donors as Republicans head toward the November midterm elections.

He has hosted fundraising events around the country since taking the position, including an RNC fundraiser in Palo Alto, California, in June that raised $4.2 million.

But the Southampton event stood out for the age and profile of the donors in the room. Many were in their 20s and 30s, according to Axios, potentially giving Vance relationships with a new generation of Republican financiers should he pursue the presidency in 2028.

The setting also brought together political and financial worlds that are increasingly intertwined.

Malik’s 1789 Capital, where Trump Jr. is a partner, has expanded rapidly. The investment firm announced this month that it had closed a $1.2 billion real estate development fund and now manages more than $3 billion overall, according to Axios. Its investments include Polymarket, whose founder was among Vance’s Southampton guests.

Buskirk, another host Wednesday night, is also a co-founder of 1789 Capital.

Vance has not announced a presidential campaign, and 2028 remains more than two years away. He is reportedly expected to make a decision about his plans sometime after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

For now, though, one number from his Southampton stop is difficult to overlook: more than $5 million raised from a room of roughly 35 people

Angela LaGreca

Editor, Co-Founder/Publisher

Angela LaGreca, Editor-in-chief and co-Founder/Publisher of Spark Hamptons, is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, writer and comedian/host. Her TV credits include NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “The View,” and, most recently, the primetime cable news program “Cuomo” on NewsNation. On the East End, she was the Creative Director at LTV, VP Features/Events/Photo Editor at Dan’s Papers, and has performed at Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater and the WHBPAC. Her publishing career began at Modern Photography, where she was managing editor. LaGreca lives in Manhattan and East Hampton and can be reached at angelatvmedia@gmail.com and angela@sparkhamptons.com .