Save America PAC: Trump Supporter Funds Fuel Skyrocketing Legal Expenses
The primary fundraising and political spending group that supports Donald Trump, known as Save America PAC, has reportedly spent more than $40 million (£31 million) on legal fees this year alone. This staggering amount has been utilized to defend the former president and his allies across multiple legal cases.
The financial filing, set to be confirmed on Monday, reveals that Save America's spending on legal costs in 2021 and 2022 combined has more than doubled this year. As Donald Trump faces increasing legal battles, the bills for legal representation will continue to escalate.
Among the cases awaiting the former president are a federal trial over alleged mishandling of classified documents, a state trial concerning a hush-money probe in New York, and a defamation trial brought forward by writer E Jean Carroll.
Furthermore, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and state prosecutors in Georgia are anticipated to bring charges against Mr. Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Save America PAC, a political action committee founded and controlled by Mr. Trump, plays a crucial role in funding legal representation for the former president and individuals involved in the various investigations against him. Susie Wiles, the campaign manager, decides whose legal bills receive financial support.
Some beneficiaries of the legal fee coverage include Walt Nauta, a close personal aide to Trump, and Carlos de Oliveira, the property manager at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, both of whom face charges in the classified documents case. The campaign has referred to this financial assistance as protection from "unlawful harassment."
In a statement, spokesman Steven Cheung mentioned that the DOJ continues to target innocent individuals who worked for President Trump, without any legitimate case against them. Providing financial support for legal fees is seen as a means to safeguard these individuals from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed.
What is striking is that the $40 million sum spent on legal fees far surpasses any other expense incurred by Save America during the 2024 presidential campaign. The majority of these legal expenses are being covered by grassroots Trump supporters, who contribute small-dollar donations that constitute the bulk of Save America's fundraising efforts.
Following his departure from office, Donald Trump made unfounded claims of a stolen 2020 election, urging his supporters for months to back him by contributing to Save America. Throughout 2020, he amassed over $100 million in donations, allocating more than $16 million to cover legal fees and around $10 million for personal expenses. However, his campaign and its supporters never provided substantial evidence to prove widespread election fraud.