US President Donald Trump mixed re-election business with pleasure during a weekend stop at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, attending a fundraiser that was expected to raise 10 million dollars (£7.7 million) for his campaign and the Republican National Committee.

The event was believed to be his most expensive fundraiser ever, with invitations going to donors who gave 580,600 dollars (£445,000) per couple, according to The Washington Post, which obtained an invitation to the event at the Palm Beach estate of billionaire investor Nelson Peltz.

Pro-Trump groups have been shattering fundraising records on the path towards a goal of raising 1 billion dollars (£766 million) this election cycle.

President Donald Trump, and first lady Melania Trump touch down in West Palm Beach, Florida
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump touch down in West Palm Beach, Florida (Alex Brandon/AP)

Advocacy groups that have sought campaign finance reform said the Supreme Court had paved the way for such fundraising hauls by striking down in 2014 the limit on the total amount of money an individual could give to all political party committees in a two-year election cycle.

“The ability of Trump to raise these astronomical amounts of influence money from billionaires and multi-millionaires is a direct result of the Supreme Court’s utter failure to understand the nation’s campaign finance laws or the implications of its decision,” said Democracy 21 president Fred Wertheimer in an opinion piece published in Medium.

In its 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court found that limits on the total amount of money donors can give to all candidates, committees and political parties were unconstitutional.

Senator Bernie Sanders has criticised some of his fellow Democratic presidential candidates for accepting campaign donations from the extremely wealthy, questioning whether those who accept the donations would stand up to those who provide them if the situation called for it.