Former President Donald Trump's legal fees have skyrocketed to a whopping $50 million in 2023, according to recent filings with the Federal Election Commission. This staggering sum is mainly being paid for by his political action committee (PAC), Save America, which relies on donations from supporters, particularly small-dollar donors. The influx of funds into Save America was seen after the 2020 election when Trump propagated unfounded claims of election fraud.
However, it is important to note that not all of the $50 million is solely for Donald Trump's legal expenses. Some of it is allocated for his co-defendants and other witnesses involved in his legal battles. These expenses are expected to continue to rise as Trump currently faces four criminal indictments, which could potentially go to trial later this year. If that happens, the cost for his legal defense will likely increase exponentially.
One question that arises is whether Trump is personally contributing any of his own money to cover these expenses. The filing to the FEC later today will shed more light on this matter. While the exact figures are not yet known, it appears unlikely that his PAC will be able to fully cover the costs. In the past, Trump has been reluctant to pay his legal fees and has even failed to pay some of his attorneys in the past.
It is worth mentioning that during the first trial with E. Jean Carroll, Trump did contribute $5 million of his own money towards his legal defense. Moving forward, the Trump team may have to grapple with the financial burden of his mounting legal expenses.
As the year progresses, it will be crucial to closely monitor how much more money will be required to fund Trump's legal battles. It remains to be seen how this financial strain will impact his future legal strategy and potential outcomes in the ongoing legal cases.
These exorbitant legal fees underscore the complexity and intensity of the legal challenges that Trump is currently facing. With multiple criminal indictments and the potential for further trials, the former president's legal battles are expected to continue to draw attention in the coming months.
