President Trump's family-owned businesses have profited from Republican campaigns and committees — including those affiliated with a dozen members of Congress — in the first half of this year, according to the latest Federal Election Commission reports.
BuzzFeed News has identified at least $293,000 in spending from Republican campaigns and committees on Trump businesses after Trump was elected to the White House. The bulk of the spending was from Trump's re-election campaign, but other Republican committees shelled out about $72,000, based on FEC data made public this week.
The spending from House Republicans and party committees appears to be mostly for fundraisers held at Trump properties. The total does not include spending between April and June from Senate campaigns, which do not file their reports electronically, and from certain committees that file monthly and have yet to report their June spending.
The Republican spending at Trump properties already this year marks a large increase from such spending a year ago, seemingly showing a White House bump for the businesses.
In the first half of last year, the same businesses received just under $100,000 from campaigns. Nearly all of that money came from Trump's presidential campaign, with the campaign of only one member of Congress, Pennsylvania Rep. Tom Marino, spending at a Trump property, splurging $200 on food and beverages at a Trump National Golf Club.
So far this year, a joint fundraising committee benefitting New Jersey GOP Rep. Tom MacArthur, which spent more than $15,000 on a fundraiser at Trump's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, was the biggest congressional spender across Trump businesses. The fundraiser at the club where the president often still spends his weekends was held after MacArthur played a key role in helping push health care legislation — a top priority for Trump — through the House after the bill had initially stalled.
California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher's campaign spent $11,000 at Trump International Hotel in D.C. on "event room and catering costs," and Pennsylvania Rep. Bill Shuster's campaign spent more than $7,000 on "event facility" and "catering costs" at the hotel.
Other spenders at the Trump International include Reps. Ted Yoho of Florida, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Alex Mooney of West Virginia, Jodey Arrington of Texas, David Valadao of California, the Republican National Committee, and the National Republican Congressional Committee.