With the Federal Election Commission (FEC) releasing the mid-year financial reports of political action committees (PACs) and presidential campaigns, the latest figures from those associated with Donald Trump's re-election bid have thrown up some interesting details.
The former president's personal campaign committee has received $32 million since the start of 2023, while his joint fundraising vehicle drew over $53 million in contributions.
But the collective filings of various political committees associated with Trump's campaign show much of the money he is receiving for his re-election bid is heading in one direction: into lawyers' pockets as he battles a number of legal challenges.
Newsweek approached Trump's campaign via email for comment on Tuesday.
Trump Appears To Pay Co-Defendant Twice
Waltine Nauta is Trump's butler and served as a valet during the former president's time at the White House. Nauta has continued to work for Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
In June, Nauta was one of three, including Trump, to be indicted by a federal grand jury in Florida over charges of mishandling classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago last summer. Nauta pleaded not guilty to six counts relating to allegations of withholding documents and making false statements at an arraignment hearing in July.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation and has claimed that it is politically motivated. The former president denies all wrongdoing.
Half-year filings for the Save America PAC show Nauta was paid regular installments of around $2,814 twice a month between January and June, totaling $33,768 across the six-month period.
However, FEC disclosures also show that Donald Trump for President 2024 Inc., his official campaign fund, also made a series of regular payments to Nauta of $3,541.67 from the end of April to the end of June—six payments totaling $21,250.
The two sets of payments would give Nauta a combined income of around $55,000 so far this year. It is unclear whether he is also paid by Trump separately for his services.
PACs Funnelling Money Towards Legal Fees
The Make America Great Again PAC received $5.85 million from other Trump-affiliated committees, and in the six-month period had accrued just over $6.36 million. At the same time, it spent just over $6 million, with much of that money going towards legal outfits.
In particular, it gave around $765,000 to Binnall Law, of which attorney Jesse Binnall has represented the former president in election fraud matters.
At the same time, Make America Great Again Inc. Super PAC—not to be confused with the PAC of the same name—gave $12.25 million to the Save America PAC in four transfers between May and June.
A vast number of the disbursements from the Save America PAC were given for legal consulting, with the law firm of Joe Tacopina, who is representing Trump in his criminal cases, being given over $1.77 million between January and early May.
As well as the federal case against him in Miami, the former president is facing a further criminal cases in New York relating to allegations of hush money payments in the lead-up to the 2016 election. He denies the allegations and has pleaded not guilty.
According to The Associated Press, at least $42.8 million was spent by the presidential candidate's joint fundraising committee, with around $25 million of it used to cover the cost of fighting legal battles.
Though Trump continues to dominate the Republican field in the polls and retains many millions across the PACs, as the threat of further legal challenges builds the potential Republican nominee could enter election year bracing for some difficult spending decisions.
Dormant PACs Used To Top Up New Committees
The Trump Make America Great Again Committee, which has received no contributions so far in 2023 and is one of several fundraising vehicles to date back to Trump's original presidential run, made a $1.02 million transfer to Save America, leaving it with little over $329,000 in cash.
Meanwhile, Trump Victory, another old PAC with zero income this year, sent over $509,000 to the Make America Great Again PAC—one of the more recently founded committees shelling out vast sums on legal fees.
The transfers paint a picture of the Trump campaign pushing residual funds still left in dormant committees towards the PACs that are currently bearing the brunt of his legal expenditures.
Jared Kushner's Dad Donates $1M
FEC filings for the Make America Great Again Inc. Super PAC show that on June 5, property developer Charles Kushner—father of Jared, the husband to Trump's daughter Ivanka—gave $1 million.
Jared Kushner served as a senior advisor while Trump was president, but he and his wife have since distanced themselves from politics and the 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump Left With $32M War Chest
After raising around $135 million across his principal campaign committee and the three main PACs—the Trump Save American Joint Fundraising Committee, Save America and the Make America Great Again PAC—since the start of 2022, the latest filings show as of the end of June the candidate has cash left over of around $32 million.
Much of that—around $22.5 million—is in Trump's official campaign fund, but those with numerous expensive legal disbursements retain several millions while litigation in the two criminal cases he faces are ongoing.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aleks Phillips is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter based in London. His focus is on U.S. politics and the environment. ... Read more
