Donald Trump arrives at a campaign event at Crotona Park in the South Bronx on Thursday. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/GC Images)
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isOnald Trump has refused to put his own money into his political campaign, relying instead on contributions from supporters across the country. But Trump’s businesses continue to raise money for a variety of services, which in turn converts money from small donors into income for Trump. New filings raise questions about whether Trump is using his campaign to divert Secret Service funds into business income.
The network paid $817,000 in airfare to the Trump campaign during this election.According to documents released Monday by the Federal Election Commission, the Secret Service also The campaign owes another $361,000.This campaign is He donated $4.2 million to Tag Air, one of Donald Trump’s companies..
It is unclear whether the payment to the Secret Service covers all of Trump’s flights on his personal aircraft or whether it includes flights on planes owned by other parties. The Trump campaign’s largest airfare provider is Tag Air, in which Donald Trump owns 100% of the company.
The Secret Service Long-term airfare refund campaignThat goes back at least to 2004, but no candidate has billed the Secret Service as much as Trump, who has received a combined $10.1 million from the agency for protection over his three presidential campaigns.
It is entirely legal for the Secret Service to give money to political campaigns, but the amount is at their discretion. The Government Accountability Office said in a 2016 report: The amount paid must not exceed the first class airfareThe same report also found that Trump’s 2016 campaign submitted incomplete, inaccurate and duplicate airfare invoices that the Secret Service paid without dispute.
In a 2022 report that included screenshots of receipts, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee also Trump Organization accuses Secret Service of overcharging for hotels(During the period covered by the report, Trump flew on Air Force One, the presidential plane, so airfare reimbursement wasn’t an issue.)
“Approved invoices are paid in a timely manner following receipt and review,” a Secret Service spokesman said, adding that he was unable to provide a more specific answer on Friday afternoon ahead of the long weekend.
Representatives for Trump did not respond to requests for comment.
From Forbes