"We've identified millions of people who support Trump. Now we're raising the appropriate funds to make sure these people vote in November," he said.
As for Barrack, he remains a key supporter of Trump and is scheduled to speak at the convention next week. "He loves Donald Trump just like I do. He wants to do everything he can to help him get elected," said Manchester, adding that he planned to co-host a fundraising event in San Diego for Trump's joint-fundraising committee that was expected to raise $4 million.
But Manchester said that he and Barrack had been turned off by the idea that super-PACs spend much of their money on negative TV ads. "Tom Barrack is not a negative person and neither am I. We want to speak on the merits."
Last month, Yahoo News reported that Barrack was backing off from raising money for the super-PAC because of pressure from business partners in China. The Barrack spokeswoman declined to comment on that report. Officials at Rebuild America Now didn't respond to inquiries.
Some donors have been confused by Trump's posture toward super-PACs. He often ridicules his opponents for depending on their support, and boasts that his wealth makes them unnecessary. During the Republican primary, he mostly depended on free TV news coverage and his own money to get his message out. But last year, he also appeared at an event set up by a super-PAC working on his behalf. Later, he disavowed the group and it disbanded. In March, his campaign sent a strongly-worded letter to Great America PAC, asking it to stop using his name in fundraising activities.
After he vanquished his Republican primary opponents in May, Trump softened his stance on fundraising and took steps to raise money from wealthy donors through a joint-fundraising agreement with the Republican party. He announced last week that those efforts had reaped $51 million for his campaign and the party since late May. Those groups, however, cannot accept contributions of unlimited size from individuals and corporations the way super-PACs can.
In private conversations with Trump campaign officials, some donors have gotten the impression that Defeat Crooked Hillary is a preferred destination for donations, while others have been directed to Rebuild America Now, the people familiar the conversations said. Still others have been waiting to see where big-spending donors like Adelson put their money.
Nevertheless, last month, one of Trump's top aides said the candidate remains steadfastly opposed to support from these groups.
"He doesn’t want it. He's actually gone out of his way to shut down super-PACs that have started to use his name," said Michael Cohen, a top Trump lawyer, during a forum organized by Bloomberg Politics in New York. "I can call Sheldon Adelson tomorrow and he'll give me $100 million. He's offered. I have a half a dozen people exactly the same. Doesn’t want to do it. He does not want a super-PAC."