Trump funnelled money from donors into private business after election loss, report finds

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Donald Trump has funnelled thousands of dollars from his donors into his private business after his loss in the 2020 presidential election.

The former president’s reelection campaign moved roughly $2.8 million from donors into the Trump Organisation over his term, including at least $81,000 since Mr Trump lost the election, according to Forbes, based on campaign finance reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission. .

One of his campaign’s joint-fundraising groups working with the Republican Party also moved another $4.3 million from donors into the former president’s business over the course of his time in office, including $331,000 after Election Day.

A week after news media outlets called the results of the election for Joe Biden, a joint-fundraising committee paid his hotels nearly $300,000 for room rentals, space and catering.

Nearly a month after Election Day, the campaign paid $38,000 to Trump Tower Commercial LLC, the business under which the former president owns a stake in his namesake tower in New York.

The filings reflect concerns among lawmakers and watchdog groups over the former president’s self-dealing and enrichment while in office, relying on public funds and his campaign to inflate his private business.

He made more than 500 visits to his properties while in office, while 346 executive branch officials made 993 visits to his properties while he was in office, and at least 143 members of Congress made 361 visits to properties he owns, according to Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington.

His campaign and the joint-fundraising committee with the RNC, along with Trump-affiliated super PAC America First Action, spent more than $7 million and held 32 events at properties owned by the former president, CREW found.

The watchdog organisation found that special interest groups likely spent more than $13 million at properties he owns.

“In the past four years special interest groups, foreign governments, and political groups together held more than 250 events at 14 Trump properties, likely resulting in tens of millions of dollars of revenue for the Trump Organization,” the group reported. “In all, special interest groups have hosted 142 events, political groups have hosted 100, and foreign governments or foreign government-sponsored groups have hosted another 13.”