Trump-linked PACs are still funneling donor money into his properties: report

According to a report from Washington Post, properties owned by Donald Trump are continuing to rake in money from political action committees affiliated with the one-term president as well as the federal government.

With Politico reporting that Trump's PACs 'brought in $82 million during the first half of 2021 and have $102 million in the bank," the Post adds that the money that should be going to either promote Trump's next political run or to back fellow GOP candidates also seeking office, is ending up in Trump's pocket.

According to the Post, "Save America, the leadership PAC where former president Donald Trump is asking loyalists to direct their political contributions, paid for lodging about two dozen times in the first six months of 2021. Nine of those times, the payments went to properties owned by the former president, according to a filing made public on Saturday. All told, the PAC sent at least $68,000 to the Trump Hotel Collection, showing how the real estate mogul — long after ending his presidential campaign and leaving office — continues to use donor money at his own properties."

Additionally, "Make America Great Again PAC, a repurposed campaign account, spent about $200,000 on office and restaurant space in Trump Tower," the Post's David Fahrenholt and Isaac Stanley-Becker are reporting.

Trump has long been accused of enriching himself, such as by overcharging the government for housing Secret Service agents at his golf resorts, and as the Post reports, little has changed.

"Since Trump entered the presidential race in June 2015, he has used his political campaigns and associated committees to pump more than $19 million into his own businesses, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal campaign-finance records," the report states. "The practice began during his 2016 run, when Trump's campaign paid his businesses about $12.5 million — transforming donors' political contributions into private revenue for his businesses. Trump billed his own campaign to fly himself on his Boeing 757 jet, to rent office space in Trump Tower and to hold events at Trump golf clubs. His name-branded 'Trump Ice' water even showed up on the campaign's tab."

After noting that the government paid out over $2.5 million to Trump during his four years in office and that he is still not done enriching himself at taxpayer expense.

"Trump has continued to bill the U.S. government even during his post-presidency, by charging the Secret Service for rooms they've used while protecting him at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., and at his golf club in Bedminster. The government has paid Trump at least $72,000 this way since he left office, according to receipts obtained by The Post" the report states before adding the caveat, "There is no rule against Trump charging the government for these rooms, allowing him to continue the practice indefinitely."

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