Noah Patel
There has been much speculation about Donald Trump's charging of rent to his campaign staff at Trump Tower. In 2016, Trump Tower's commercial spaces were struggling to find tenants, but after Trump launched his presidential campaign that year, the number of visitors to the tower increased significantly. Trump's campaign staff rented office space in the tower, and the monthly rent increased from $35,458 in March 2016 to $169,758 in August. In 2018, the Republican National Committee (RNC) started paying Trump Tower rent for the president's reelection campaign, amounting to over $37,000 per month. This sparked controversy, as the RNC had previously been covering Trump's legal fees related to the Russia probe.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who paid rent for Trump's 2020 re-election campaign? | The RNC |
| How much did the RNC pay? | $37,000 a month |
| Who did the RNC pay? | Trump Tower Commercial LLC |
| When did the RNC start paying? | September 2018 |
| Who did the RNC pay before Trump Tower? | Vice President Mike Pence's nephew, John Pence |
| How much did the RNC pay John Pence? | $7,000 a month |
| How much did Trump charge his campaign for rent? | $35,458 in March 2016, $169,758 in August 2016 |
| How much did Trump's campaign pay in total rent in 2017? | $470,000 |
| How much did Trump's campaign pay in total rent from 2017-2018? | $890,000 |
| Did Trump's campaign pay for any other Trump properties? | Trump's golf courses and restaurants, including Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, and Trump Restaurants LLC |
| How much did Trump's campaign pay for these properties? | $260,000 |
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What You'll Learn
Trump Tower's rent increased from $35,458 to $169,758 per month
In 2015, Donald Trump founded Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., to manage his 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The headquarters for this campaign was set up within Trump Tower, in the same space where The Apprentice was filmed.
After Trump launched his 2016 presidential campaign at Trump Tower, the number of visits to the tower rose sharply, with many visitors being supporters of Trump. The tower also gained popularity among New York City tourists in 2016, especially after Trump was elected president.
The rent for Trump's campaign headquarters in Trump Tower increased significantly during his 2016 presidential campaign. Specifically, the rent increased from $35,458 in March 2016 to $169,758 in July/August 2016. This spike in rent occurred as the Trump team expanded from using only the fifth floor to adding two additional levels.
Trump Tower's commercial spaces have seen a decline in occupancy rates in recent years, falling to 75% in the first quarter of 2021. However, Trump's PAC has become a reliable tenant, renting office space on the 15th floor for $37,541.67 per month. Despite the decrease in occupancy, the building has generated significant rental income for Trump, with reports indicating that he earned over $20 million per year from 2000 through the end of 2018.
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The Republican Party paid rent for Trump's reelection campaign
In 2018, the Republican National Committee (RNC) started paying more than $37,000 a month in rent for President Donald Trump's reelection campaign office space in Trump Tower, New York. The RNC had previously been criticized for paying the legal bills for Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., in relation to the Russia probe.
The RNC's payments to Trump Tower Commercial LLC began in late September 2018, shortly after the committee came under fire for its involvement in the Russia probe. The rent for the office space was $37,541.67 a month, payable to Trump Tower Commercial LLC, and was taken from the committee's campaign funds. This was not the first time a Republican committee had paid the Trump Organization for the use of its properties; Trump's hotels became a preferred venue for GOP fundraisers after he was elected president.
The RNC's payments for Trump's reelection campaign office space in Trump Tower were part of a broader pattern of expenditures benefiting Trump and the vice president's family. The committee also paid thousands of dollars in monthly salary to Vice President Mike Pence's nephew, John Pence, who was the Trump campaign's deputy executive director.
Prior to the RNC's involvement, Trump had been funding his campaign rent himself. In 2016, Trump nearly quintupled the monthly rent his campaign paid for its headquarters at Trump Tower to $169,758 in July, when he was raising funds from donors. This increase in rent occurred despite a reduction in the number of staff employed.
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Trump's PAC moved into the same office space
Trump Tower, located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, has been at the centre of Trump's business and political endeavours. The tower includes commercial and retail spaces, offices and apartments. Trump launched his 2016 presidential campaign at Trump Tower, and the headquarters for this campaign was within the same space where The Apprentice was filmed.
After Trump's election victory, the campaign headquarters were moved to Arlington, Virginia, where his 2020 reelection campaign was also based. However, the Trump 2020 campaign continued to rent office space in Trump Tower, with the campaign paying $37,541.67 per month for 5,490 square feet on the 15th floor.
Following Trump's departure from office, his PAC moved into the same office space on the 15th floor, paying the same monthly rent as the Trump 2020 campaign. This PAC is called Make America Great Again PAC and is one of Trump's committees. The PAC also paid the Trump Organization $3,000 per month to rent a retail kiosk in the lobby, even though it was closed.
The Washington Post reported that Trump Tower's commercial spaces were only 75% occupied in the first quarter of 2021, lower than in previous years. The PAC's latest campaign-finance filing listed only three employees at the Trump Tower address, and even those three do not regularly work there. Despite this, the PAC's presence provides a reliable source of income for Trump Tower.
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Trump's campaign paid $890,000 in rent from 2017 to 2018
From its launch in January 2017 until the end of 2018, Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign paid over $890,000 in rent for office space in Trump Tower. The monthly rent paid by the campaign increased from $35,458 in March 2016 to $169,758 in August. The campaign's headquarters were located in the same space where The Apprentice was filmed, though the headquarters were unfurnished.
Trump Tower has been a popular tourist destination, especially after Trump's election win in 2016, and has attracted many supporters of Trump's candidacy. The tower has also housed other notable tenants, including Michael Jackson and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Trump's reelection campaign has been criticised for paying large sums of money to the president's hotels, restaurants, and other businesses. In the first quarter of 2019, for example, the campaign paid $137,025 to rent out Trump Tower buildings, $5,289 for accommodation at Trump's hotels, and $25,436 for legal services from the Trump Corporation. According to a report by the Center for Responsive Politics, the campaign has paid more than $14 million in total to Trump brands, with $13,348,846 spent in 2016 and $1,584,941 in 2018.
Despite the high occupancy rates in the past, Trump Tower has recently faced challenges with key tenants falling behind on rent and moving out. However, Trump's own PAC has remained a reliable customer, renting office space on the 15th floor for $37,541.67 per month.
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Trump's campaign had 172 paid employees and consultants
There is no clear indication that Donald Trump charged his campaign staff rent at Trump Tower. However, it is known that Trump Tower's commercial spaces generated significant income from rent, with the building earning Trump $336 million from 2000 until the end of 2018, amounting to over $20 million per year. The monthly rent paid by the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign for its headquarters in Trump Tower increased from $35,458 in March 2016 to $169,758 in August. From its launch in January 2017 until the end of 2018, the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign paid over $890,000 in rent.
Trump's 2016 presidential campaign had 172 paid employees and contractors, with the campaign tending to outsource most of its operations to independent contractors rather than hiring internal campaign staff. This approach allowed Trump to avoid internal payroll expenses and instead pay contractors through his own payroll companies, Trump Payroll Corp. and Trump Tower Commercial LLC. The campaign spent a significant amount on consultants, with roles including research, administration, fundraising, communications, compliance, ballot access consulting, event planning, strategy, and legal services. Notable figures in the campaign included Paul Manafort, Michael Glassner, Rick Wiley, Ken McKay, Corey Lewandowski, and Roger Stone.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Trump charged his campaign staff rent at Trump Tower.
Trump Tower rented 9,000 feet of office space in December at $120 per square foot. The monthly rent paid by the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign for its Trump Tower headquarters increased from $35,458 in March 2016 to $169,758 in August.
Yes, Trump nearly quintupled the monthly rent his campaign staff paid.
Initially, Trump self-funded his campaign. However, after he was elected, the Republican National Committee (RNC) started paying rent for his 2020 reelection campaign.
Yes, after Trump's successful election, the campaign was moved out of Trump Tower and into office space in Arlington, Virginia.
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