Legendary actor and singer Barbra Streisand took a jab at former President Donald Trump's fundraising tactics, specifically targeting the way he solicits donations from his fanbase to cover his fines and legal fees.
Streisand's remarks came in the wake of reports from Trump's campaign team, which announced that the former president managed to raise a staggering $7 million in just a matter of days since he had his Georgia mugshot photo emblazoned on T-shirts, mugs, and other items.
Streisand wrote:
“The curious case of Donald Trump. He’s a billionaire, lives in luxury, flies around in his own plane. But he thinks his followers should pay all his legal expenses. It’s so strange, isn’t it?”
You can see her post below.
In the face of an extensive array of federal and state charges, Trump finds himself grappling with a towering mountain of legal bills.
To fund his legal defense, Trump has consistently turned to financial contributions from his supporters. Over the course of the past two years, he has tapped into the financial resources of a political action committee under his control, the Save America PAC.
Originally established in 2020 as a rallying point for his baseless allegations of election fraud, this leadership PAC has remained predominantly fueled by donations from grassroots supporters. Even before his entrance into the 2024 presidential race, the Save America PAC was channeling funds to cover Trump's legal fees.
And these costs encompass a wide spectrum, ranging from federal and state inquiries into his business dealings to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, as well as issues surrounding classified documents following his departure from the White House.
While legal experts contend that this fundraising practice likely adheres to legal norms, it inevitably raises ethical concerns about the manner in which Trump interacts with his donors.
Many concurred with Streisand's assessment.
Earlier this month, a grand jury in Georgia investigating Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election result handed up a criminal indictment that resulted in more charges for the ex-President.
Trump and 18 of his associates—including his attorney Rudy Giuliani and former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows—have been charged under Georgia's anti-racketeering law, marking the fourth time Trump has been indicted this year.
Trump "bragged" that he would "NEVER SURRENDER" in posts published to Truth Social and Twitter and his campaign quickly went to work producing merchandise on which they slapped his mugshot.
The former President's critics highlighted that the phrase "never surrender" was particularly striking given that he had just literally surrendered himself to authorities in Fulton County in order to be processed, photographed, and eventually released on bond in his election interference case.
