For decades, former President Donald Trump has hated paying bills, be them business or political.
He especially hated the kind he felt he didn't have to pay. Notably, these include police and public safety expense invoices — now collectively worth millions of dollars — many municipal governments fruitlessly sent his presidential campaign after Trump swept into their towns to stage mass political rallies.
So when Trump wanted to conduct an "unprecedented" 2024 presidential campaign rally on March 25 in Waco, Texas, municipal officials there didn't dawdle in ensuring the former president's committee would cover tens of thousands of dollars in unanticipated city expenses, according to government documents obtained by Raw Story through a Texas Public Information Act request.
Knowing full well they had legal leverage over Trump — Trump's requested rally venue was city-owned Waco Regional Airport — the city manager and city attorney's office made the Trump campaign sign a binding 10-page contract eight days before his event.
"All expenses incurred by the City for public safety, sanitation and transportation personnel and resources required to preserve public order and protect public health, safety and welfare, together with any other expenses or costs that may be incurred by the City as a result of the Event shall be paid for by DJTFP24," the contract reads, using the acronym for "Donald J. Trump for President 2024".
The contract, for example, details how Trump's campaign must pay a $24,000 facility rental fee up front and agree to reimburse Waco's government — by the day of the event — for any municipal law enforcement and traffic control services provided.
Trump's campaign also needed to cover an additional $36,714.27 for public safety services that included police, fire and traffic services, according to the records.
Total bill: $60,714.27.
Trump campaign treasurer Bradley Crate signed the contract on March 17, as did Waco City Manager Bradley Ford and Assistant City Attorney Lauren Olivarez.
"The bill was paid in full prior to the event. No balance remains," Waco Director of Parks and Recreation Jonathan Cook said in a statement Thursday to Raw Story.
Campaign officials for Trump, who this week was arrested and arraigned on 34 felony counts related to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Trump-Waco contract also gave the City of Waco other powers.
For example, the city retained the right to terminate both the contract and Trump's rally itself "in order to protect public health, safety, and welfare".
It further compelled the Trump campaign to carry employer, contractual, injury and automotive liability insurance.
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The contract also stipulated that Trump's campaign would "be responsible to repair any damages to the property" including but not limited to "rutting, replanting of wildflowers and trash collection and litter removal" and would have 24 hours after the event to makes any required amends.
Waco officials also banned the Trump campaign and any rally attendees from operating drones within five miles of the airport, according to the contract.
"No major issues were reported at the event," said Cook, who added that "first responders provided assistance to several heat-related incidents with guests."
Cook also noted that neither the city did not officially track attendance numbers at the event, nor did the "event organizers" — even as Trump boasted that "tens of thousands" of people would attend the "very big" outdoor rally. Cook said the City of Waco Fire Marshal’s Office estimated event attendance at 12,000 to 15,000.
The Trump campaign was contractually authorized by Waco "to sell political merchandise in exchange for federal political contributions on the Premises" to those that attended.
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Trump's payment of bills from Waco stands in sharp contrast to bills his campaign received from another Texas city — El Paso — after he conducted a rally there in February 2019.
El Paso is still waiting for Trump's campaign to pay them $569,204.63 — including a city-issued late fee of $98,787.58, El Paso city spokesperson Laura Cruz-Acosta confirmed to Raw Story.
The difference between why Trump is paid his Waco bills and ignoring his El Paso bills is tied directly to the mundane but significant matter of jurisdiction and contractual obligations.
Trump conducted his 2019 rally at the El Paso County Coliseum, which is controlled by the nonprofit El Paso Sports Commission, not the City of El Paso. Nevertheless, City of El Paso officials provided police and other resources for the event, but — unlike Waco — had no power to compel the Trump campaign to pay beforehand.
Several city governments, including the government of Nashville, Tenn., have taken similar approaches to that of Waco when Trump's campaign wanted to use a city-managed facility for a political event.
