Trump Is Still Using Taxpayer Money To Fund Post-Presidential Staffers

Former President Donald Trump is still spending taxpayer money to fund his office and pay his advisor months after he left the White House, government records showed.

Stephen Miller, the former president’s advisor, is one of at least 17 Trump staffers that continue to receive paychecks funded by taxpayers, government documents obtained by the Business Insider under the Freedom of Information Act showed.

The former White House advisor, who was responsible for crafting Trump’s immigration policies, will earn a total of $107,704.11 between Jan. 20 through July 21. The figure includes benefits.

Trump’s post-presidential transition staff is expected to receive $1.3 million in federal salary and benefits until July 21, when his transition period ends.

Under the Presidential Transition Act, outgoing presidents and vice presidents can still use government funding and facilities for “winding up the affairs of his office.”

“The Administrator is also authorized, under the PTA, to provide services and facilities to each outgoing President and Vice President, 'for use in connection with winding up the affairs of his office,' for a period 'not to exceed seven months from 30 days before the date of the expiration of his term of office,'” the law states.

Dan Scavino, Trump’s former deputy chief of staff, also remains on the former president’s transition team and is currently the highest-paid member on the team. A document from the General Services Administration, obtained by the Insider, revealed he was earning an annual salary of $172,500, the maximum amount allowed.

In early May, it had also been revealed that Trump’s adult children are costing taxpayers at least $140,000 a month after he made a last-minute decision to grant them six months of Secret Service protection. The full course of protection could cost taxpayers $1 million, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said.

In documents obtained by CREW, it was shown that the Secret Service spent over $52,000 in transportation costs and nearly $90,000 in hotel accommodations for the agents traveling with the former president’s children.

Former president Donald Trump is not running for office in the 2022 midterm elections, but the Republican Party is grappling with how close to embrace his theory that voter fraud caused his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden Photo: AFP / MANDEL NGAN