BEDMINSTER, NJ — With New Jersey’s Republican gubernatorial primary less than two months away, former President Donald J. Trump’s stance is drawing scrutiny after GOP candidate Bill Spadea was reportedly told not to post a photo from a recent meeting at Trump’s Bedminster golf club.
According to conservative commentator Mike Crispi, a 2024 RNC Trump delegate, Spadea met briefly with Trump in a hallway days after rival candidate Jack Ciattarelli sat down with the former president.
While Ciattarelli quickly shared his photos from the meeting online, Spadea was allegedly instructed not to share a selfie taken during his encounter.
Ciattarelli’s campaign said they also asked Trump for permission to share the photo and the president gave the green light.
Spadea has not posted any such image, which appears to confirm Crispi’s account and has led to speculation that Trump is keeping his distance from the conservative talk show host turned candidate. Crispi said the warning stemmed from concerns over Spadea’s use of Trump’s name in past fundraising efforts tied to his nonprofit, the Common Sense Club PAC.
According to financial disclosures, Spadea’s PAC paid $225,000 to BillSpadea.com LLC. While Spadea and co-founder Elizabeth Nader confirmed the payments, they claimed the money was disbursed “before he was a candidate.” However, critics allege the PAC misled donors by referencing Trump and Melania Trump in fundraising appeals, leading some to believe they were supporting the former president’s campaign.
Trump camp stays silent as rivalry deepens
Trump has not commented publicly on Spadea or the request to withhold the photo. George Nader, a board member of the Common Sense Club PAC and husband of Elizabeth Nader, recently urged Trump to make an endorsement but said he was “disappointed” in how Spadea’s compensation was handled.
“If I knew my money was going right into Bill’s pocket, I wouldn’t have given them any money,” a Toms River business owner who donated monthly to the PAC told reporters.
Meanwhile, Ciattarelli, who previously lost to Governor Phil Murphy in 2021, is leading in most polls and appears to be favored by Trump insiders. His prompt social media post from Bedminster suggested a more favorable reception from the former president.
Key Points
- Bill Spadea was reportedly told by Trump not to post a selfie from their Bedminster meeting.
- Spadea’s PAC used Trump’s name in fundraising efforts, later paying $225,000 to his LLC.
- Jack Ciattarelli shared images from his own meeting with Trump and leads in most polls.
With Trump’s approval rating among New Jersey Republicans near 90%, and 65% of GOP primary voters saying they’d support a Trump-endorsed candidate, the absence or presence of an endorsement could heavily influence the June 10 primary outcome.
