Donald Trump's legal fees are depleting his campaign funds, with one of the nonprofits that has covered many of these expenses spending roughly $3.7 million last month.
According to FEC data, the Save America political action group (PAC) spent roughly three out of every four dollars it raised in March.
Donald Trump's Legal Fees Eat Significant Portion of Campaign Funds
It comes as Trump is facing a number of legal lawsuits, including a trial over charges that he attempted to conceal a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult star Stormy Daniels, which begins hearing testimony on Monday. Trump denies all claims against him.
Reuters said Save America's legal fees are comparable to the $3.7 million spent by Trump's campaign committee in March. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden's team spent $29.2 million in March, including a slew of TV expenditures in key states.
Save America, which is separate from Trump's campaign but was his largest fundraising entity before he announced his candidacy, reported receiving slightly over $10,000 in donations in March. It was able to cover spending by receiving a $5 million refund from a super PAC supporting Trump's campaign called MAGA Inc.
Save America has already pulled back more than $52 million of the $60 million it originally gave MAGA Inc, significantly limiting the amount of money available for Trump-supporting television advertising.
Save America has not specified how much it has spent on each of Trump's legal fights, but its papers show that it has spent more than $59 million on lawyer fees since the beginning of 2023.
However, the former president may still struggle to stay up with Mr Biden, who has raised his spending significantly in the run-up to November, spending $45.2 million on media advertising since the beginning of the year, compared to Trump's $6 million.
Read also: How to Get IRS Unclaimed Tax Refunds: Here's What to Do If You Think You Have Pending Payments
Trump vs. Biden: Campaign Funds
Monthly fundraising records submitted with the FEC over the weekend show that Trump's main campaign account raised $15.3 million in March and has $45.1 million in cash on hand, while Biden raised $43.8 million and has $85.5 million in cash. The campaigns also gather funds through a number of different groups.
Steven Cheung, Trump campaign communications director, referred to the previous president's legal issues as "witch-hunts" and abuses of power.
Campaign finance experts have expressed alarm over Trump's use of campaign funds to pay his legal fees in both criminal and civil matters.
According to Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, a government accountability group, the FEC has excused leadership PACs from using campaign funds for personal needs, which is typically prohibited by law.
Trump's campaign has apparently been directing funds to his businesses at a time when he is in significant legal trouble and desperately needs money, USA Today reported.
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