Former President Donald Trump's PACs spent approximately $50 million on his legal expenses in 2023, according to a new report from The New York Times. On top of that, the Trump campaign spent more cash than it fundraised in the last three months of the year.
New campaign finance reports also reveal that Trump's largest PAC, MAGA Inc., spent more than it raised in the last half of 2023. Where did a majority of that money go? $30 million of those funds were transferred back to the Save America PAC, one of the largest sources of funding for Trump's legal defense.
Trump's Save America PAC also paid Melania Trump's stylist $18,000 a month for "strategy consulting."
So yes, Trump's fundraising abilities are impressive. But the legal fees and judgments are really starting to add up — and the trials for his four indictments haven't even started yet.
Last month, a Manhattan jury ordered Trump to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defamation. And he is also awaiting New York Judge Arthur Engoron's verdict in the New York civil fraud case; Attorney General Letitia James has called for a $370 million fine.
So whatever his financial circumstances, he is at risk of not having enough liquid assets to cover his legal fees and legal judgments. And relying on his political PACs to constantly bail him out is not a long-term solution.
Read more exclusive insights from Jen Psaki here. And tune into "Inside with Jen Psaki" Mondays at 8 p.m. ET, and Sundays at 12 p.m. ET on MSNBC.
