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Since he left office in January 2021, former President Donald Trump has received more than $342,030.81 in pension benefits. That figure accounts for the time period from his eligibility after his presidency ended through July 2022, according to the General Services Administration which manages benefits for former presidents.
Like his predecessors, Trump receives a lifetime federal pension and a range of taxpayer funded benefits under a law originally passed in 1958 and updated through the years, The Former Presidents Act.
Trump, his aides and allies have at times responded to the Mar-a-Lago FBI search by blaming the GSA for mishandling his move and, they argue, mistakenly hauling classified materials to Florida.
By doing so, they have taken aim at the very agency that manages his pension and a range of financial benefits that fund his official office operations.
A GSA official told NBC News that it had no role deciding what records were sent to Mar-a-Lago, saying that the “GSA required the outgoing transition team to certify in writing that the items being shipped were required to wind down the Office of the Former President and would be utilized as the Office transitioned to its new location in Florida.”
The GSA confirmed to NBC News that the pensions payments have been dispersed to former President Trump. While in office, he made public announcements each quarter that he was donating his government salary to a department, agency or program as part of his political message that he worked for free. The former president’s office has not responded to multiple inquiries about his pension or whether he made any other donations of federal benefits.
Mr. Trump’s annualized and taxable pension is about $230,000. The pension amount for former presidents is intended to be on par with executive branch cabinet level secretaries. Presidents Carter, Clinton, Bush and Obama also receive a lifetime federal pension.
NBC News reviewed the 2023 budget request of $5.2 million to provide for expenses related to the five living former presidents’ needs.
In addition to former President Trump’s pension at $230,000 dollars. There is salary for his staff at $141,000. Rental payments for his official office to GSA at $406,000 with utilities and communications at $35,000. Printing costs at $5,000. $11,000 for supplies. $15,000 for equipment. $58,000 for “other services.” Costs for travel and security were not listed in this budget and each former president has lifetime Secret Service protection.
For fiscal year 2023, the proposed budget included an increase of $140,000 for Mr. Trump, $53,000 for Mr. Clinton and $7,000 for Mr. Carter. Those increases were describes as lease expirations, cleaning services needs and anticipated increase in retirement benefits.