Donald Trump’s rallies are known for attracting big crowds and causing a lot of excitement, but they also come with big bills. According to a Newsweek investigation, Trump’s campaign owes over $700,000 to four U.S. cities for unpaid bills related to his rallies. This is money that cities spent on services like police protection, crowd control, and security, and they are still waiting for Trump to pay them back.
The cities asking for this money are El Paso, Texas; Spokane, Washington; Mesa, Arizona; and Green Bay, Wisconsin. El Paso is asking for the biggest amount, with a bill of over half a million dollars. Spokane is owed more than $65,000, and Mesa’s bill is around $64,000. Green Bay is asking for $9,380.10, which may seem small compared to the others, but it still adds up. Billings, Montana, is also waiting on nearly $46,000, but they’ve kind of given up because they never sent a formal invoice.
A spokesperson from El Paso City Council explained how the situation has dragged on for years. “The Trump campaign has not submitted any payments for their debt,” the spokesperson said. This means that El Paso taxpayers are left paying the bill. As a result, El Paso added a late fee of $98,787.58, bringing the total to a whopping $569,204.63. And yet, they still haven’t seen a single cent.
This isn’t just about money – it’s also about fairness. When Trump holds a rally, cities have to provide extra police officers, security, and equipment to make sure the event runs smoothly and safely. But when the Trump campaign doesn’t pay for these services, the city’s budget suffers. Spokane’s communication director told Newsweek that the Trump campaign still owes the city $65,124.99 for a rally back in 2016. “The bill was addressed to the Trump campaign and dated May 11, 2016,” the director said, but the payment never came.
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Mesa, Arizona, is in a similar situation. They are still waiting for Trump’s campaign to pay them $64,467.56. In a letter sent to the campaign in 2018, the city explained that the Mesa Police Department provided crowd control for more than 12,000 people at a rally, rented equipment for a temporary parking lot, and even handled towing. Despite all this effort, they still haven’t been paid.
You would think that someone as wealthy as Trump could easily cover these costs, but here’s the thing – political campaigns are not legally required to pay cities for these services. Billings, Montana, Mayor Bill Cole shared his frustration, saying,
“It is disappointing when these bills for political events go unpaid because our costs have to be covered somehow, in this case by tapping already-tight budgets for police and firefighters.”
As if unpaid bills weren’t enough, Trump’s campaign is also facing financial struggles. In July, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) reported that Trump raised only $47.5 million, while Kamala Harris, the Democratic frontrunner, raised a massive $204.5 million. The Trump campaign ended the month with $151.3 million in its accounts, while Harris had $219.7 million. The financial gap between the two campaigns is clear.
It’s strange that Trump, who calls himself a great businessman, can’t seem to handle his campaign’s money or pay off old debts. Even though he owes over $700,000 to different cities, his supporters still show up to his rallies, cheering him on. Meanwhile, cities like El Paso, Spokane, and Mesa are left with the bills. Instead of “Making America Great Again,” maybe Trump should start by paying what he owes. As Billings, Montana, Mayor Bill Cole said, “It is disappointing when these bills for political events go unpaid.”
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
