Former U.S. President Donald Trump's political action committee, Save America, is facing a severe financial strain as it is projected to report spending around $40 million on legal fees in the first half of 2023, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Washington Post revealed that the PAC's substantial spending on legal costs has caught the attention of prosecutors, who are scrutinizing potential conflicts of interest between Trump and witnesses involved in ongoing investigations. Furthermore, The New York Times separately reported that the PAC has requested the return of $60 million it had contributed to another group supporting Trump's potential 2024 Republican presidential nomination campaign. Trump's campaign has yet to respond to requests for comment.

The Save America PAC, which Trump has been utilizing to cover his legal expenses, is expected to disclose approximately $40.2 million in legal spending in a filing on Monday, as anonymous sources cited by the Washington Post have indicated. This significant expenditure on legal fees is in addition to the $16 million the PAC has already spent on legal costs over the past two years. The PAC's spending has surged due to Trump's expanding legal team and the legal fees incurred by his co-defendants in cases related to his handling of classified material. Overall, the PAC's total legal spending now amounts to approximately $56 million.

The request for a refund on the $60 million contribution to another pro-Trump group reveals a potential financial crisis for Trump. The New York Times reported that the exorbitant legal costs have prompted this refund request, driven by the strain caused by ongoing legal cases and investigations involving Trump and his associates. The exact amount refunded has not been disclosed.

These mounting legal costs coincide with Trump facing multiple legal troubles. Presently, he is under indictment in both Florida and New York. The Florida indictment relates to the retention of sensitive government records at his residence in the state. Meanwhile, the New York indictment stems from a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

The Save America PAC was initially established as a fundraising arm for Trump following his loss in the 2020 election. Trump claimed that the funds were necessary to combat widespread election fraud, although no evidence of such fraud was found. While some of the funds were used to support other politicians and political activities in 2022, the majority was allocated to covering legal fees. Trump has previously expressed the belief that lawyers and other individuals working for him should provide their services for free, as they benefit from the publicity associated with their association with him.

The increased allocation of funds from Trump's campaign to the PAC has drawn criticism from opponents, who argue that the money should be used to support his potential presidential campaign rather than paying personal legal fees. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie labeled the funding shift as "disgraceful." However, the augmented funds allocated to the PAC are still insufficient to cover the substantial legal costs incurred by Trump and his associates.

In defense of the spending on lawyers, a spokesperson for Trump's campaign, Steven Cheung, accused the Department of Justice of unfairly targeting innocent Americans who had worked for Trump. Cheung characterized the legal actions against Trump and his allies as "heinous actions by Joe Biden's cronies" and emphasized that the PAC's contributions to legal fees aimed to protect innocent individuals from financial ruin.

The financial filing, which will detail the PAC's legal spending, is expected to be made public on Monday. The PAC has not yet commented on the request for a refund or the overall legal costs incurred.