Donald Trump dubbed 'fraud' after he reportedly spent over $50M of donor funds for legal expenses in 2023

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Former President Donald Trump reportedly expended a staggering $50 million on legal fees in 2023, grappling with a multitude of criminal cases and investigations.

New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Shane Goldmacher unveiled the astonishing figure, shedding light on the intricate financial maneuvers employed by the ex-president.

Financial channels and PACs

The New York Times report delves into the specifics of Trump's financial strategy, revealing that he directed 10 percent of online donations to Save America, a political action committee (PAC) that predominantly funds his legal team. 

"Mr. Trump has paid legal expenses through both Save America and a second account, called the Make America Great Again PAC, which is an outgrowth of his 2020 re-election committee," the report stated.

"In the first half of 2023, Save America transferred $5.85 million to the Make America Great Again PAC, which spent almost all of that sum on legal and investigation-related costs. The roughly $50 million figure is a combination of such costs through both groups," the Times explained.

Insights and analysis on CNN

Discussing the staggering financial commitment on CNN, Kaitlan Collins and Maggie Haberman explored the implications of the substantial sum. Collins remarked, "I mean, $50 million, for someone who obviously has a lot of legal troubles, is still a really astounding number."

Haberman provided insight, stating, "It’s an eye-popping number. It is eye-popping in a couple of ways. Number one, he is not somebody who historically has liked paying legal bills." She noted, "But number two, this is, it’s a lot of money. It’s not just him. It’s also lawyers for witnesses, as you know. It’s lawyers for, I think, his two co-defendants, at least one of them."

As Trump's legal battles intensify, Haberman speculated on the escalating financial strain.

"People who are not — one of whom is on the campaign roll, the other is worked for Mar-a-Lago. These numbers are not going to get smaller, as we go forward, because he has been indicted four times, and this number got exponentially higher, last year than it was in 2022. And if any case goes to trial, this year, it is going to go even higher. And so, how much he is going to be able to continue to pay, out of Save America, and another committee that he’s been using, MAGA PAC, remains to be seen," she continued.

Haberman pondered whether Trump's donors were fully aware of the specific allocation of their contributions. "Did his donors know this is what they were going to be paying for? No. Would they all mind? I doubt it because some of them thought they were paying for some kind of legal fight," she remarked.

Social Media Criticism

Trump's critics, however, mocked him and his supporters on social media.

"Congrats, Republicans. All that money you’re donating to 'make America great' is just 'making rich lawyers even richer.' Go chew on that with your 'hard knocks' degrees. You’re making white-collar folks wealthier" one posted on X.

"He'll probably persuade his MAGA followers that losing is a form of victory, and they'll cheer exuberantly, clapping like hungry seals at a water-themed spectacle," another quipped.

"He's a fraud. He's always been a fraud. He will always be a fraud," someone else alleged.

In addition to the financial strain from legal fees, Trump is facing a civil litigation tsunami. A federal civil jury recently ordered him to pay $83.3 million in a defamation case brought by New York writer E. Jean Carroll.

Furthermore, a New York state judge will soon decide the penalty Trump must pay in connection with a civil fraud trial brought by the state's attorney general, Letitia James, seeking a penalty of $370 million.