On Friday, new reporting revealed that President Donald Trump’s legal fund is in massive debt. According to its latest FCC filings, Save America PAC — which Trump created largely to pay for his election denial court battles following his election loss in 2020 — owes just shy of $2 million.
As the Hill explains, the fund has been spending money faster than it’s paid down its debts. According to the outlet, Save America PAC “spent more than $5.4 million in the third quarter and had spent more than $14 million from the start of the year through September, per its quarterly filing to the FEC. At the start of the year, the president had nearly $1.2 million on hand. The fund had roughly $673,000 as of the end of June. But as of the end of the third quarter, it had less than $33,000.” As that cash on hand has plummeted, its debts have remained a persistent problem, and it now owes more than $1.9 million to legal firms.
Save America lists all the debts it holds as legal consulting or legal fees and expenses. According to the Hill, “They range from about $239,000 owed to Brito PLLC — whose founder, Alejandro Brito, represented the president in multiple lawsuits he filed against ABC News, BBC and other media outlets…Save America also owes about $760,000 to Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, which is representing Trump in his appeal of a New York jury’s 2024 ruling convicting him on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Dhillon Law Group, which Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon founded in 2006, is owed $34,000. Dhillon, who runs the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, departed the firm when she officially joined the administration last year.”
Besides covering Trump’s legal costs, Save America PAC serves as Trump’s main political fundraising and spending vehicle, supporting political activities including endorsements, events, voter outreach, and related operations. As a “leadership PAC,” its expenditures are directly controlled by Trump, unlike his fund MAGA Inc., a super PAC that theoretically cannot coordinate directly with its beneficiary. While a leadership PAC is typically associated with campaign expenditures, Trump has drawn controversy by using Save America PAC’s funds to pay for his personal legal bills. The Hill has previously reported that the PAC has had difficulty with fundraising, as potential donors were dissuaded by the fact that their money would go to fighting Trump’s legal battles rather than supporting the GOP.