Donald Trump is set to drain his war chest for legal fees this summer, and unsurprisingly, this comes at a time that the former President has announced his plans to install his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, and other loyalists to co-chair the Republican National Committee. Lara was sure to say that all the $ucker dollars donated to the RNC would go to reelect Lumpy.
Bloomberg reports:
Trump spent $51.2 million in 2023 on legal expenses and can tap another $26.6 million stashed in an allied super political action committee that he can use to pay his lawyers. But as his four criminal cases ramp up, those funds are expected to run out at a critical time - around July, when the Republican National Convention triggers the official start to the general election campaign.
That leaves Trump with only a few - unappealing - options to keep paying for his defense.
He could compel the Republican National Committee, which faces its own cash woes, to pay his bills, leaving the group with less money to support his campaign. He could siphon off more money from his army of small-dollar donors to his leadership PAC, Save America, which is financing his defense in multiple criminal and civil proceedings. Trump already diverted 10% of online contributions made to his reelection toward Save America for legal bills - a move which accounted for $9.9 million in 2023.
To pay his legal fees, Trump is relying on federal laws governing leadership PACs, which allow politicians to raise money that can support travel, fundraising and other political expenses.
Trump's legal bills have been a drag on what has otherwise been a strong fundraising operation. His campaign and allied groups last year collectively spent $13.6 million more than they raised, thanks to a large nest egg of donations to Save America from 2021 and 2022, before he was actively campaigning. That fundraising buffer has nearly been depleted.
We're okay with him bankrupting the RNC. In fact, I'll make the popcorn. It's not as if everyone wasn't warned about that grifter.
