Former President Donald Trump is gaining unexpected popularity in regions once thought unlikely. Last week, he raised nearly $12 million at a fundraiser hosted by venture investors David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya in San Francisco, attracting affluent tech figures. Ticket prices ranged from $50,000 to $500,000, drawing prominent cryptocurrency investors and venture capitalists. Republican National Committee member Harmeet Dhillon noted that Trump appeared “relaxed, happy, and cracking jokes about AI” during the event.