Trump’s PAC spent more than $21 million on legal bills

Ex-President Donald Trump’s political action committee has spent more than $21 million on legal bills in the first six months of the year  — more than it shelled out for the same services in all of 2022, according to new campaign finance filings.

The PAC, Save America, disclosed $21.6 million in legal spending to the Federal Election Commission Monday night. By contrast, the organization — which raises most of its funds through small-dollar donations — spent more than $16 million on legal fees in the entirety of 2022.

The amount is less than the $40 million in legal fees the PAC was predicted to disclose, but is still far more than any other 2024 presidential candidate is expecting to spend to fend off lawsuits and criminal indictments.

Trump, 77, has been slapped with dozens of federal charges in Florida after investigators found boxes of confidential documents from the White House at his Mar-a-Lago estate and is also facing state charges in New York over alleged hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels.

He pleaded not guilty to a 37-count indictment in the document probe case last month and is expected to stand trial in May 2024.

The GOP presidential frontrunner could also be indicted in Washington and Georgia in connection to alleged election interference, though he has denied any wrongdoing.

Trump also paid for his legal representation in the E. Jean Carol defamation suit with Save America coffers. About $1.5 million was paid to the law firm he hired to represent him, according to the PAC filing.

The high volume of legal spending using donors’ dollars has raised questions among prosecutors about potential conflicts of interest between the former president and witnesses.

Trump’s team said the money spent on defending him is necessary for his campaign for re-election.

“In order to combat these heinous actions by Joe Biden’s cronies and to protect these innocent people from financial ruin and prevent their lives from being completely destroyed, the leadership PAC contributed to their legal fees to ensure they have representation against unlawful harassment,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told CNN.

Save America handed out more than $185K in campaign money to Walt Nauta over 2021-22. Nauta, a Trump aide turned property manager of Mar-a-Lago, has been indicted in the classified documents probe.

The PAC expenditures filing also revealed that Save America shelled out $108,000 to Melania Trump’s stylist, Herve Pierre Braillard, in what it classified as “strategy consulting.”

Campaign finance expert Paul Seamus Ryan told the Washington Post that Trump’s supporters and donors are likely OK with the legal spending.

“At the end of the day it’s up to the donors to decide if that’s the way they want their money spent. My sense is if you’re giving money to Trump in 2023, you’re fine with it,” he told the paper.