Former President Donald Trump is facing significant legal challenges, with his Save America PAC spending more than $5 million on legal fees in February alone. Since the start of 2023, the PAC has spent $51.5 million on legal fees out of the $76.5 million it has spent overall. This spending has been supported by a $60 million refund from another Trump PAC, but that funding is expected to run out in the coming months. Save America was initially created as an “election defense fund” in the wake of the 2020 election, raising $31.5 million by the end of 2020 and accumulating $105.4 million in cash by the end of 2021.
In October and November 2022, Save America transferred $60 million to a separate super PAC, Make America Great Again, Inc., to help fund Trump’s campaign. As Trump’s legal fees continued to mount, reports surfaced in July 2023 that Save America was seeking the return of the $60 million to continue funding legal expenses. The super PAC has been repaying Save America through installments since May 2023, totaling $47.3 million. This repayment has been Save America’s main financial support as the PAC struggles to cover Trump’s legal costs.
Despite raising $62.3 million between January 2023 and February 2024, the majority of Save America’s funds have come from refunds from affiliated committees. Only $104,193 has been donated directly to the PAC during this time, with approximately $9.9 million coming through donations to the Trump campaign website. With legal expenses outpacing fundraising efforts, Save America’s financial future is uncertain as the refunds are set to run out by May.
To boost fundraising, Trump is turning to billionaire and wealthy donors for support. A recent fundraiser for the Trump 47 Committee has already raised $43 million, with donations primarily benefitting the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee. Save America is set to receive contributions from the event, but federal campaign finance rules limit individual contributions to $5,000 each to the PAC. This restriction may make it difficult for Save America to generate the necessary funds to cover Trump’s legal bills.
In light of Save America’s financial challenges, Trump may need to explore alternative fundraising strategies to pay his legal fees. Expert opinions suggest that Trump could potentially leverage the Make America Great Again Inc. super PAC, despite restrictions on coordinating with candidates. Another possibility involves deputizing the Republican National Committee to help cover legal expenses, while wealthy donors could contribute through state parties and have their funds funneled back to the national party.
Overall, Trump’s fundraising options are limited, but Campaign finance experts believe that any potential legal issues around fundraising for legal expenses are unlikely to result in significant consequences for Trump. The FEC has been criticized for its lack of enforcement of coordination restrictions, and the Justice Department seldom prosecutes campaign finance violations in cases with gray areas. Ultimately, Trump’s ability to navigate fundraising avenues for his legal fees may be met with little legal consequence.
