As Donald Trump attempts to resuscitate his flailing third presidential election campaign, one of his shady political action committees is working hard to make Melania’s stylist great again.
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, Trump’s Save America PAC, which has been fundraising off false voter fraud claims, paid Melania’s wardrobe stylist $132,000–yes, $132,000!–for what they call “strategy consulting” in 2022. Be best!
For his alleged services, Herve Pierre Braillard, who has been dressing the former first lady since 2017, received seven payments of $18,000 and one for $6,000 over the course of the year, reports Business Insider.
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It’s unclear what “strategy consulting” actually means in this context, but making sure Melania’s shoes and handbag are on point doesn’t seem to fall under the purview of an election fund, no matter how deranged the candidate is.
Herve Pierre Braillard, Melania Trump‘s stylist, has received $132,000 from Trump’s Save America leadership PAC since April, with the committee describing the expenditures as ‘strategy consulting’. pic.twitter.com/65YflKMaa5
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) December 9, 2022
And if Donald and Melania are trying to find creative ways to not use their own coins to pay Braillard, the FEC has explicit rules against this sorta tomfoolery.
According to USA Today, the FEC “does not allow candidate committees, which are formed to raise money for a specific candidate, to spend money on personal items, including clothing.” Uh-oh!
Braillard, who used to be creative director for designer Carolina Herrera, has gotten heat for receiving large sums of cash from Trump’s PAC in the past. After a $60,000 payment raised eyebrows last year, Braillard tried to explain how his expertise went beyond clothes.
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“As with every other first lady, there is an after-the-White House life, which involves many other aspects than fashion,” he told WWD in August. “I am lucky to have worked in prestigious houses, to have designed [costumes] for ballets and more recently to work in home decor. There are many upcoming projects in this after-the-White House [stage].”
While Melania has not addressed this latest controversy, it would seem she may not be needing Braillard’s “strategy consulting” much these days since her “after-the-White House life” has been flatlining and she’s been totally MIA for the last several months.
In addition to continuously blowing off her one-term, twice impeached husband’s recent campaign events, she hasn’t been seen at his side since infamously brushing his hand away on New Year’s Eve.
Should this stylist scandal blow up further, it could see Melania losing yet another one of her last few fashion allies.
It’s no secret that the former aspiring model had difficulty finding designers that would work with her following the election of her husband in 2016.
Tom Ford explicitly said he wouldn’t dress her, even though he tried to couch his reasons with a patriotic spin. And then there was the painful diss by Vogue who refused to photograph Melania despite dedicating entire covers to both Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.
Based on that alone, it appears Braillard’s “strategy consulting” skills could use a makeover themselves.
Related: Literally nobody is buying Miserable Melania’s fake excitement about possibly being first lady again
Cam
Likely he was kicking back at least half the money right back into Melania’s pocket. A way for her and Donny to steal money from the campaign and try to hide it.
Mack
I agree, they didn’t scam people with their lies not to line their pockets.
HankHarris
Why does she need a stylist – to get her from her room to her spa appointment? She doesn’t make public appearances. And while I don’t like knocking people’s appearances – they do plenty to fairly criticize – Melania always looks like she doesn’t realize how big her implants are – her clothes never fit her bust properly.
mwagner2266
It is true, trump could only use his pac to support another candidate. However, trump created a super pac and transferred $20,000,000 out of his pac and into his super pac which he could then tap into the funds to continue his lifestyle. Hence the small venues he was campaigning in because he doesn’t want to spend the money. He is scamming his supporters
Jimmynj
It takes a lot of money to try and make a pig presentable.
johncp56
lock them both up
CNY1983
you would think shes tired of being ridiculed and snubbed and stay home.