After speaking with New York Times correspondent Shane Goldmacher about a story he did on Trumps PACs spending around $50 million on his legal fees in 2023, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper asked Johnston if the four-times-indicted Trump could afford those bills if he wasnt running for president.
Anderson, you hit the nail right on the head there, said Johnston, who wrote The Making of Donald Trump biography and The Big Cheat: How Donald Trump Fleeced America and Enriched Himself and His Family in 2016 and 2021, respectively.
Remember Donald used to tell us he was worth $10 billion? He should be rolling in money if thats the case. And evidently, he has to depend on begging for money from people.
Johnston then mentioned a story Reuters published on Tuesday that reported how hotelier Robert Bigelow had given Trump $1 million to cover legal fees. Bigelow has also promised another $20 million for the Republican front-runners 2024 campaign.
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If you have $10 billion, this wouldnt be a big deal, Johnston said. But if you dont have $10 billion and you just claim it, thats a whole other story.
Last week, Trump was ordered to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defamation , adding to the $5 million a jury ordered him to pay her last year when he was found liable for sexual abuse after she accused him of raping her in the 90s.
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Watch Johnstons comments on Trumps money situation below:
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