Save America
{{Short description|Political action committee run by Donald Trump}}
{{for|the 2024 book|Save America (book){{!}}Save America (book)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
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| formation = {{start date and age|2020|11|9}}
| founder = Donald Trump
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| registration_id = Federal Election Commission ID: C00762591
| status = Leadership political action committee (leadership PAC)[https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/260/202211159546802260/202211159546802260.pdf "Statement of Organization; Save America; FEC Form 1,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203112958/https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/260/202211159546802260/202211159546802260.pdf |date=2023-02-03 }} Federal Election Commission.
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| location_city = Arlington, Virginia
| location_country = United States
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| leader_title = Leadership PAC Sponsor
| leader_title2 = Treasurer
| leader_name2 = Bradley T. Crate
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| affiliations = Make America Great Again Super PAC
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Save America (founded on November 9, 2020) is a leadership political action committee founded and controlled by 45th President and 47th President Donald Trump.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-organization-criminal-trial-save-america-pac-republican-party/|title=Trump PAC, Republican Party paid law firms in Trump Organization criminal trial|date=November 18, 2022|website=CBS News|first=Graham|last=Kates|access-date=June 30, 2023|archive-date=April 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404181359/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-organization-criminal-trial-save-america-pac-republican-party/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/trumps-super-pac-534-million-2024-bid-rcna60941|title=Trump's super PAC has $53.4 million for his 2024 bid; Trump's Save America PAC largely funded the new super PAC, MAGA, Inc.|first1=Bridget|last1=Bowman|first2=Ben|last2=Kamisar|date=December 9, 2022|website=NBC News|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222700/https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meetthepressblog/trumps-super-pac-534-million-2024-bid-rcna60941|url-status=live}} It has been Trump's primary fundraising and political spending arm since he left his first term in office. The PAC has spent more than $60 million on legal fees for the former president and his allies.{{Cite web |first=Jessica| last=Piper |date=April 20, 2024 |title=Trump's super PAC has helped foot his legal bills. That might end soon. |website=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/20/trump-legal-fees-spending-00153508}}
History
President Donald Trump founded and controls the Save America leadership political action committee (leadership PAC).{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/08/trump-save-america-pac-eyed-by-federal-grand-jury.html|title=Trump Save America PAC formation and spending eyed by federal grand jury, reports say|first=Dan|last=Mangan|date=September 8, 2022|website=CNBC|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222700/https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/08/trump-save-america-pac-eyed-by-federal-grand-jury.html|url-status=live}} Save America was founded and registered with the Federal Election Commission on November 9, 2020, two days after the 2020 presidential election results were declared.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/09/report-federal-grand-jury-eyeing-trumps-save-america-pac|title=Report: Federal Grand Jury Eyeing Trump's Save America PAC|first=Kelly|last=Rissman|date=September 11, 2022|magazine=Vanity Fair}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/08/us/politics/trump-save-america-pac-subpoenas.html|title=Trump's Post-Election Fund-Raising Comes Under Scrutiny by Justice Dept.; A federal grand jury has issued subpoenas seeking information about Save America PAC, which was formed as Donald J. Trump promoted baseless assertions about election fraud|first1=Alan|last1=Feuer|first2=Maggie|last2=Haberman|authorlink2=Maggie Haberman|first3=Adam|last3=Goldman|first4=Kenneth P.|last4=Vogel|authorlink=Kenneth Vogel|date=September 8, 2022|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629230519/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/08/us/politics/trump-save-america-pac-subpoenas.html|url-status=live}} Its treasurer is Bradley T. Crate, who had been Trump's campaign treasurer.{{Cite web|url=https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?artguid=f2063d99-8676-4fba-a71c-2b9c9e3de4a1&appid=1165|title=What Trump is doing right now is not about winning|date=November 9, 2020|first=James|last=Pindell|website=The Boston Globe|access-date=June 30, 2023|archive-date=June 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630171243/https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?artguid=f2063d99-8676-4fba-a71c-2b9c9e3de4a1&appid=1165|url-status=live}} It is located in Arlington, Virginia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/save-america/C00762591/summary/2022|title=PAC Profile: Save America|website=OpenSecrets|access-date=2023-06-30|archive-date=2023-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504093549/https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/save-america/C00762591/summary/2022|url-status=live}}
Save America has been Trump's primary fundraising and political spending arm since he left office.{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-russia-ukraine-donald-trump-presidential-campaigns-4ce3a13c3fe27255210adc0c83a80da1|title=Trump's PAC faces scrutiny amid intensifying legal probes|date=September 13, 2022|work=Associated Press News|first1=Jill|last1=Colvin|first2=Brian|last2=Slodysko|first3=Eric|last3=Tucker|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222700/https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-russia-ukraine-donald-trump-presidential-campaigns-4ce3a13c3fe27255210adc0c83a80da1|url-status=live}} ABC News wrote that Trump and his allies "have consistently pushed supporters to donate to the PAC, often using false claims about the 2020 election and soliciting donations to rebuke the multiple investigations into the former president, his business dealings, and his actions on Jan. 6."
File:Donald, Melania Trump dancing at Liberty Ball 01-20-17.jpg in his first term.]]
Trump has used the PAC to pay for his post-presidential rallies, travel, staff expenses, $21.6 million in legal bills (including those of Trump confidants and aides called to testify before the January 6 attack US House committee), and portraits of himself and the former first lady that will one day hang in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery ($650,000).{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/25/us/politics/trump-donations-legal-fees.html|title=As Legal Fees Mount, Trump Steers Donations Into PAC That Has Covered Them|first1=Shane|last1=Goldmacher|first2=Maggie|last2=Haberman|authorlink2=Maggie Haberman|date=June 25, 2023|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 30, 2023|archive-date=June 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630063403/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/25/us/politics/trump-donations-legal-fees.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-save-america-leadership-pac-federal-grand-jury/|title=Federal grand jury probing Trump's Save America leadership PAC, reports say|date=September 9, 2022|website=CBS News|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222701/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-save-america-leadership-pac-federal-grand-jury/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pro-trump-group-powers-surge-early-us-super-pac-spending-2023-05-04/|title=Pro-Trump group powers surge in early US super PAC spending|first1=Jason|last1=Lange|first2=Nathan|last2=Layne|date=May 4, 2023|work=Reuters|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222701/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pro-trump-group-powers-surge-early-us-super-pac-spending-2023-05-04/|url-status=live}} Save America has also donated $1 million to the Conservative Partnership Institute (which is linked to former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows); $1 million to the America First Policy Institute (which was started and is partly run by former officials of Trump's administration); $200,000 to Trump Hotel properties; and $132,000 to former first lady Melania Trump’s fashion stylist Hervé Pierre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-political-pac-paid-melanias-hair-stylist-least-132k-strategy-consulting|title=Trump political PAC paid Melania's hair stylist at least $132K for 'strategy consulting': report'; Herve Pierre Braillard has also made dresses and hats for Melania in the past|first=Anders|last=Hagstrom|date=February 1, 2023|website=Fox News|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629230518/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-political-pac-paid-melanias-hair-stylist-least-132k-strategy-consulting|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/09/08/trump-save-america-pac-reportedly-under-investigation-in-january-6-probe/|title=Trump's Save America PAC Under Investigation In January 6 Probe|first=Alison|last=Durkee|website=Forbes|date=September 8, 2022|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222707/https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/09/08/trump-save-america-pac-reportedly-under-investigation-in-january-6-probe/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/08/11/jan-6-committee-trump-campaign-spending/10265619002/|title=Donald Trump's Save America PAC was formed to fight debunked election fraud claims after he lost the 2020 election. Here's what you need to know about what the fund does and how it spends.|first=Rachel|last=Looker|website=USA Today|date=August 11, 2022|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=July 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726104156/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/08/11/jan-6-committee-trump-campaign-spending/10265619002/?gnt-cfr=1|url-status=live}}
=2022=
In February 2022, Save America paid the legal fees charged by Stefan Passantino, a former Trump deputy White House counsel, to represent unemployed former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who had been served with a subpoena by the January 6 attack US House Committee.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/23/magazine/jan-6-committee.html|title=Inside the Jan. 6 Committee|first1=Robert|last1=Draper|first2=Luke|last2=Broadwater|first3=Philip|last3=Montgomery|date=December 23, 2022|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 30, 2023|archive-date=June 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630204842/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/23/magazine/jan-6-committee.html|url-status=live}} After she was deposed, Hutchinson received a call from a top aide to Mark Meadows saying: "Mark wants me to let you know that he knows you’re loyal, and he knows you’ll do the right thing tomorrow and that you’re going to protect him and the boss." Concerned that her testimony was being conveyed to Trump, and suspecting Passantino's legal team of leaking it to him, she terminated Passantino's representation of her.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/us/politics/trump-campaign-spending-pac-lawyer-bills.html|title=Trump Spent $10 Million From His PAC on His Legal Bills Last Year; Now that the former president is a declared candidate again, there are questions about whether he can continue using donor funds to pay his lawyers.|first=Maggie|last=Haberman|authorlink=Maggie Haberman|date=February 21, 2023|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 30, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629211235/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/us/politics/trump-campaign-spending-pac-lawyer-bills.html|url-status=live}} Hutchinson then hired attorney Jody Hunt, who agreed to represent her on a pro bono basis.
As of June 2022, over 60% of contributions to Save America were from retirees.
Spending by Save America increased in August 2022 to over $6.3 million, its highest monthly total of the year to that point in time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/20/politics/trump-save-america-pac-legal-payments-surge/index.html|title=Spending by Trump's Save America PAC surges amid legal battles over Mar-a-Lago search|first=Fredreka|last=Schouten|date=September 21, 2022|website=CNN|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222700/https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/20/politics/trump-save-america-pac-legal-payments-surge/index.html|url-status=live}} That month Save America made a contribution of $150,000 to Wyoming Values, a super PAC working to defeat Republican US Representative Liz Cheney. The PAC began September 2022 with over $92 million in cash.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/donald-trump-allies-create-a-new-super-pac-called-maga-inc|title=Donald Trump allies create a new super PAC called MAGA Inc.|date=September 23, 2022|website=PBS NewsHour|first=Jill|last=Colvin|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222700/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/donald-trump-allies-create-a-new-super-pac-called-maga-inc|url-status=live}}
In October 2022 the PAC transferred $20 million to Trump's new MAGA Inc. Super PAC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/midterms-elections-voting-2022-10-28/card/trump-transfers-20-million-from-save-america-pac-to-maga-pac-ibLLTo2yPpk8MPkN59WH|title=Trump Transfers $20 Million From Save America PAC to MAGA PAC|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=October 31, 2022|first=Alex|last=Leary|access-date=2023-06-29|archive-date=2023-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629222700/https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/midterms-elections-voting-2022-10-28/card/trump-transfers-20-million-from-save-america-pac-to-maga-pac-ibLLTo2yPpk8MPkN59WH|url-status=live}} In November 2022, the campaign finance watchdog Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), alleging that the transfer was inappropriate inasmuch as Trump was already a presidential candidate when he made the transfer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/03/trump-war-chest-2024-presidential-campaign|title=Trump seems to have a large war chest–but is he struggling to raise money?|first=Tom|last=Perkins|date=January 3, 2023|work=The Guardian|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629230519/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/03/trump-war-chest-2024-presidential-campaign|url-status=live}}
In November 2022, when Trump began his 2024 campaign for president, 99 cents out of every dollar that he raised online went to his campaign. One penny went to Save America. However, in February or March 2023 he adjusted that split, so that 90 cents of every dollar donated to him goes to his campaign, and 10% of donations go to Save America.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/trump-quietly-changes-political-fundraising-185004577.html|title=Trump is funneling 10% of 2024 campaign donations to cover his legal bills|date=June 26, 2023|website=Yahoo!|first=John|last=Bowden|access-date=June 30, 2023|archive-date=June 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630050105/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/trump-quietly-changes-political-fundraising-185004577.html|url-status=live}} Because generally a PAC such as Save America cannot spend money directly on the candidate's campaign, and conversely his campaign committee cannot directly pay for things that benefit the candidate personally, Save America can pay Trump's legal expenses, whereas his campaign cannot.
=2023=
In January 2023, Save America had $18 million of cash on hand. Through that date, the states from which it had raised the most money from residents were Virginia ($12 million), California ($8 million), and Texas ($7 million).
In June 2023, Trump's valet Walt Nauta was indicted by a federal grand jury; Save America is paying Nauta's legal bills.{{cite news |last1=Ainsley |first1=Julia |last2=Haake |first2=Garrett |last3=Edelman |first3=Adam |last4=O'Donnell |first4=Kelly |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/latest-news-trump-indictment-florida-classified-documents-rcna88546 |title=Trump aide Walt Nauta also indicted in classified documents case |work=NBC News |date=June 9, 2023 |language=en |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610032859/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/latest-news-trump-indictment-florida-classified-documents-rcna88546 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted-documents-b2356911.html|title=Who is Walt Nauta? Donald Trump's 'body man' charged over classified documents?; Guam-born valet finds himself thrust into the centre of the most high profile criminal investigation in the country|date=June 14, 2023|website=The Independent|first=Bevan|last=Hurley|access-date=June 30, 2023|archive-date=June 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614193112/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted-documents-b2356911.html|url-status=live}} Nauta was charged with moving boxes at Trump's direction that included allegedly illegally retained classified documents and national defense-related documents to Trump's residence, and then lying about it to federal investigators.{{cite news |last1=Perez |first1=Evan |last2=Murray |first2=Sara |authorlink2=Sara Murray (journalist) |last3=Sneed |first3=Tierney |last4=Herb |first4=Jeremy |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted/index.html |title=Trump aide Walt Nauta indicted in classified documents case |work=CNN |date=June 9, 2023 |language=en |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609162227/https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted/index.html |url-status=live }} The charges are punishable by up to 90 years in prison, if Nauta is convicted.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/65862112|title=Who is Walt Nauta, the aide charged alongside Donald Trump?|first=Chelsea|last=Bailey|date=June 9, 2023|work=BBC|access-date=June 15, 2023|archive-date=June 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613192123/https://www.bbc.com/news/65862112|url-status=live}}
As of July 1, 2023, Save America had less than $4 million.{{Cite web|first1=Fin|last1=Gómez|first2=Kathryn|last2=Watson|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-pac-pays-his-legal-bills-save-america/|title=Here's what Trump PAC Save America has spent on Trump's legal bills this year|date=August 1, 2023|website=CBS News}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/31/us/politics/trump-pac-filing.html|title=After Paying Lawyers, Trump's PAC Is Nearly Broke|first1=Maggie|last1=Haberman|authorlink1=Maggie Haberman|first2=Shane|last2=Goldmacher|first3=Jonathan|last3=Swan|date=August 1, 2023|work=The New York Times}} It requested a $60 million refund of a donation it had previously sent to Trump's MAGA Inc. Super PAC, which money had been intended for television commercials to help Trump's candidacy. It had spent $21.6 million on Trump-related legal fees in the first half of 2023, out of $25 million the PAC had spent overall in that time period.
Investigation of PAC
It was reported in September 2022 that a Washington, D.C., federal grand jury had issued subpoenas to several witnesses seeking information related to the formation, fundraising activities, and receipts of monies and expenditures of Save America. Among those subpoenaed were junior and mid-level aides to Trump during and after his presidency, Nicholas Luna (former personal assistant to Trump), the chief financial officer for Trump's 2020 campaign, and the former chief of staff for Ivanka Trump. Dozens of subpoenas have been issued to companies that received money from Save America, including law firms.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/13/us/politics/donald-trump-investigation.html|title=Witness Testimony Helps Prosecutors Advance Trump Election Case|first1=Alan|last1=Feuer|first2=Glenn|last2=Thrush|authorlink2=Glenn Thrush|date=April 13, 2023|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 30, 2023|archive-date=June 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630230634/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/13/us/politics/donald-trump-investigation.html|url-status=live}}
See also
- Great America PAC, a super PAC that supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election
- America PAC, a super PAC that supported Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Conservative political advocacy groups in the United States
Category:Lobbying organizations in the United States
Category:Organizations based in Arlington County, Virginia
Category:Political organizations established in 2020
Category:Political career of Donald Trump