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Donald Trump has pushed millions of dollars of funds from campaign donations into his family businesses, a new report reveals.
The former president and associated political groups have spent $28m in campaign funds at Trump-owned businesses throughout his three presidential bids, a report from CNN revealed.
Other Republicans have similarly used campaign funds to make big purchases at Mar-a-Lago, Trump hotels and other affiliated businesses, according to CNN, which translates into profit for the former president.
Trump’s campaign and associated committees have spent more than $14m at TAG Air, Inc., a Trump-owned company that runs Trump Force One, the former president’s private jet, according to the news network.
The biggest bill so far this year was a $1.9m purchase by Trump’s campaign and associated committees at TAG Air, CNN reports.
Associated campaigns and committees have also spent more than $1m at Mar-a-Lago so far this year, the CNN report revealed. They’ve spent another $200,000 at other Trump hotels and resorts.
A Trump campaign spokesperson told CNN that “committees are paying the fair market rate for all venues and services” provided by Trump-owned businesses.
The spokesperson also said that any claims that Republicans are spending at Trump’s businesses in exchange for favors are “false and politically motivated to bolster an old and tired narrative.”
It is not illegal for candidates to spend campaign funds at their businesses as long as they pay the fair market rate, CNN reports.
Meanwhile, Trump is having an expensive year following a pile-up of legal judgments that require him to pay millions.
A New York judge ordered Trump to pay writer E Jean Carroll $83.3m in January after he was found liable for defaming her. One month later, he was found liable for financial fraud in New York and ordered to pay more than $350m – though the bond was later brought down to $175m.
In July, Trump’s campaign raked in just $137m in donations. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris’ campaign earned $310m during the last ten days of July after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her.
The vast majority of Harris’s July donations were from individuals giving less than $200, The Independent previously reported.
Harris became the first woman of color to accept a major party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday evening.
