Trump Breaks Tradition By Redirecting Inaugural Swag Funds To His PAC
Source: Forbes
Official merchandise sales from Donald Trump's inaugural committee may do more than celebrate his second presidency–they could ultimately be used to cover Trump’s personal expenses, including legal fees.
On November 9, the president-elect launched the Trump Vance Inaugural Committee, a tax-exempt organization tasked with organizing events surrounding the inauguration; its website, t47inaugural.com, went live around that time, too. The site’s “merchandise” section redirects to WinRed, the Republican Party’s main fundraising platform, offering 38 inauguration-themed items ranging from a $12 pair of buttons to a $70 fleece pullover. In smaller print at the bottom of the page and during checkout, the site discloses that proceeds from these sales go to the Trump National Committee, which allocates 20% to Never Surrender, a leadership PAC formed on Nov. 12 when Trump’s 2024 campaign committee was renamed and restructured, and 80% to the Republican National Committee—completely bypassing the nonprofit inaugural committee.
While campaign contributions cannot legally be used to cover a candidate’s personal expenses, leadership PACs, like Never Surrender, are not bound by such restrictions. This gives Trump significant flexibility in how he uses the proceeds from merchandise commemorating his upcoming inauguration. For instance, another Trump leadership PAC, Save America, has spent $93 million on legal fees and shifted another $720,000 to Trump’s businesses, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission.
It’s unusual for proceeds from inauguration merchandise to go to a leadership PAC, according to Brett Kappel, an attorney specializing in campaign finance. “The sales of inaugural memorabilia are usually used to pay for the inaugural events,” Kappel says. “As far as I know, this is the first time that the proceeds of such sales are being diverted to a presidential leadership PAC, where they are not subject to the prohibition on personal use.”
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Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacheverson/2025/01/04/trump-inaugural-merchandise-pac-funds/

3catwoman3
(26,454 posts)Orrex
(64,936 posts)Horribly, if possible.
In fact, as horribly as possible.
Unladen Swallow
(491 posts)would put this country into quite a state of mess. So it would have to happen soon.
Lucky Luciano
(11,597 posts)Orrex
(64,936 posts)mikeysnot
(4,819 posts)stupid, fucking gullible assholes.
Fla Dem
(26,416 posts)Alice Kramden
(2,558 posts)It's GRIFT and criminal behavior, same as his other scams - for the entirety of his whole misbegotten life
magicarpet
(17,888 posts).... come 2028 it will be Vance and trDUMP Jr. on the ReThug Republican't Party ticket.
Yeeee Haaaa - more trDUMP style grift coming.
bluestateboomer
(519 posts)Trump "traditionally" grifts and steals everything that comes his way.
PortTack
(35,451 posts)IronLionZion
(48,267 posts)the grift never ends
Omnipresent
(6,794 posts)
spudspud
(587 posts)republianmushroom
(19,278 posts)Some things never change.
JoseBalow
(7,113 posts)I hope nobody is surprised by this, it's completely expected.
Irish_Dem
(67,145 posts)He has to sell cheap junk too.
No one could have invented a fictional character as bad as Trump.
FakeNoose
(37,049 posts)Yes he's got legal bills to pay ... we know that. But he'll try to skip out on them if he can.
There's no need for Chump to have a PAC because he's never running for office again. He's term-limited. So why are people putting money into his PAC? It's all about the grift.
Remember when he announced - before the election - that if he loses he'll probably leave the country? All the PAC money would have left with him.
MissouriDem47
(138 posts)I would like, for one time in his life, Trump be held accountable for his crimes.
liberal N proud
(61,104 posts)ZonkerHarris
(25,577 posts)sheshe2
(90,979 posts)He pocketed the money.
I am shocked, not.
Rhiannon12866
(231,255 posts)
FormerOstrich
(2,809 posts)does the members of the Trump (formerly Republican) party realize they only get the crumbs for their campaigns and/or pockets? Whey it sinks in....will they turn on him?
I think they will eventually. But they are all so blinded, beholden, scared, or stupid its going to take too damn long for it to matter overall.
Hekate
(96,977 posts)When I think of the honest government workers, the civil servants and elected officials, servants of the country and the people, and how it must break their hearts to see how they have been betrayed by the likes of Lindsay Graham, Mitch McConnell, and the Sleazy Six on the SCOTUS — it breaks my heart too.
Stand strong, Democrats, stand strong.
the_sly_pig
(751 posts)BoRaGard
(4,716 posts)F = felon
Vinca
(51,830 posts)They're bought and paid for. They know it, we know it.
sop
(13,393 posts)Trump has normalized corruption. It's part of of his portfolio.
Botany
(73,692 posts)CousinIT
(11,183 posts)inaugural events?
travelingthrulife
(1,945 posts)Why do they always pretend his grifting is a surprise.
riversedge
(74,768 posts)bluestarone
(19,344 posts)I'm thinking he has a group of his assholes in congress (House more likely) figuring all this BULLSHIT out. Think i'm wrong?
Marthe48
(20,358 posts)another fitting name for traitor
4catsmom
(617 posts)the next four years
Torrent63
(21 posts)Grifters gonna grift.