Donald Trump reportedly tried to woo the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson. They turned him down.

Donald Trump
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Last month, Donald Trump tweeted that "Sheldon Adelson is looking to give big dollars to Rubio because he feels he can mold him into his perfect little puppet. I agree!" What Trump failed to mention was that he had wanted the staunchly pro-Israel Adelson's money, too — but was turned down.

Trump prides himself on funding his own presidential campaign and flying solo without a super PAC. And yet, according to sources who spoke with Politico and The New York Times, Trump has reached out to some of the biggest names in the Republican mega-donor world, including Adelson, Paul Singer, and the Koch brothers. All the while, he's been publicly expressing disdain for his fellow 2016 GOP presidential candidates trying to woo mega-donors.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.