In a filing with the Federal Election Commission, it has been revealed that former President Donald Trump’s political action committee, the Save America PAC, paid French-born stylist Herve Pierre Braillard over $260,000 for “strategy consulting” since the beginning of last year.
The payments continued into the first half of 2023, with $108,000 disbursed in increments of $18,000 each month. In 2022, Braillard received $152,500 in eight monthly payments of $18,000, along with an additional $6,000 for April and a $2,500 “year-end bonus.”
Hervé Pierre, known professionally by his first and middle names, has an illustrious clientele that includes former first ladies, including Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama. He gained recognition for designing Melania Trump’s elegant inaugural ball gown, which she wore on January 20, 2017. The gown was donated to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
While details about Braillard’s “strategy consulting” remain undisclosed in the FEC report, the stylist has previously emphasized that he serves as an adviser to the First Lady rather than a stylist, a role Melania Trump has been adamant about.
Although Melania Trump has expressed support for her husband’s potential bid for a second non-consecutive term, she has largely remained out of the public eye. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s Save America joint fundraising committee has collected nearly $54 million in donations during the first half of 2023. However, significant expenses have been reported, with over $20.5 million spent on operating costs and more than $31.4 million transferred to other committees, leaving only $5.7 million in cash on hand.
In contrast, the official Trump 2024 campaign raised $17.7 million during the same period but used over half of it ($9.1 million) on operating expenses. Nevertheless, the campaign still boasts a healthy $22.5 million in cash on hand as of June 30.