Trump provides voters a conundrum: Can they trust someone who doesn’t pay his bills?

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire

As former President Donald Trump campaigns to reclaim the White House, a pressing question may weigh on the minds of voters: Can America trust a leader who doesn’t pay his bills? During his third recent rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, Trump left without paying up – again. Erie city officials are still tabulating the costs from the September rally, but Trump already owes the city over $40,000 for past visits in 2018 and 2023.

Trump’s financial footprint extends well beyond Erie. According to NBC News and the Erie Times-News, four other cities – El Paso, Texas; Spokane, Washington; Missoula County, Montana; and Mesa, Arizona – are waiting on a combined total of more than $750,000 in unpaid costs for local law enforcement and public safety services tied to Trump rallies. These outstanding bills, some dating back eight years, underscore the strain on taxpayer-funded resources.

At his recent Erie rally, Trump brushed off concerns about paying for overtime, saying, “I wouldn’t pay.” The comment epitomizes the frustration felt by local officials who have yet to receive reimbursement.

Voters could also consider that Trump has faced other financial and legal setbacks. He’s filed for business bankruptcy at least four times, a move he defends as financially strategic. Currently, he’s contesting a $464 million civil fraud judgment awarded to New York Attorney General Letitia James. A jury twice found him guilty of sexual assault against a woman, and they ordered him to pay her nearly $100 million. Trump has also been convicted of 34 felony charges in New York and is awaiting trial on at least 50 additional criminal charges.

When questioned about the rally bills, Trump’s campaign directed responsibility to the Secret Service, which often coordinates local security support. However, a Secret Service spokesperson clarified to NBC News that the agency lacks a mechanism to reimburse local governments, emphasizing that this gap is a “critical need” under review by Congress.

Mesa City spokesperson Ana Pereira noted that the city felt obligated to ensure public safety even without a prior agreement with Trump’s campaign. Pereira expressed that taxpayers deserve compensation, which other city officials echoed.

In addition to Trump, other candidates have unpaid bills. In Spokane, the Sanders and Clinton campaigns from 2016 also owe money, but their debts are significantly smaller by comparison.

With the election approaching, voters may weigh Trump’s history of unpaid debts and his approach to financial obligations.

“I hated to give overtime,” Trump declared during his Erie rally. “I’d get other people in. I wouldn’t pay.”

This article originally published in the October 21, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.