Donald Trump has paid private security forces at least $432,201 in the 15 months since he announced his run for president, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Of that, $320,453 was spent after he was given a Secret Service detail in November 2015, according to The Daily Beast.
The Republican presidential candidate is the only nominee that has a Secret Service detail and private security at the same time, according to Daily Beast writer Olivia Nizzi.
Trump has contracted eleven private security firms, security-guard services, and dozens of individuals as he has campaigned across the U.S., the Daily Beast reported.
The campaign might not be following campaign-finance laws by using its funds to pay for security, the Daily Beast report said. Before Trump's campaign, they were employees of The Trump Organization. Retired NYPD detective Keith Schiller has handled Trump's personal security, and has been paid with in-kind donations to the campaign by Trump, according to Politico.
Paul Ryan of the Campaign Legal Center told the Daily Beast that Trump should have asked the Federal Election Commission if he could use campaign funds for security.
"The FEC has historically been a little more lenient with the personal use ban with matters of health and security," Ryan said.
"The apparatus surrounding Mr. Trump is extensive to the point of looking dysfunctional," one high-level official told the Daily Beast.
Pizzi said the dysfunction became apparent when the Trump campaign told her to direct security questions to the Secret Service, then the Secret Service told her his private security is considered campaign staff, so his campaign should answer security questions.
New York media personality Bo Dietl has worked security for Trump.
"As far as I'm concerned, he's a demanding guy, but he wants the best and certainly, you couldn't put security people in there that look like garbage," Dietl said. "He wanted the best looking. He wanted them to wear the best, clean, magnified, you know, nice, neat uniforms, and be very respectful."
Former Secret Service agent Jonathan Wackrow, who served on President Barack Obama's detail, said he believes having private security in addition to Secret Service is a dangerous prospect.
"What you never want to get involved with is what you call a 'blue on blue' situation, which is when you have officers and agents pointing guns at each other," Wackrow said, adding, "In my entire time with the Secret Service, I never allowed private security to be involved."
Politico reported in April that Trump has volunteer security forces that attend his appearances and identify protesters for paid security and police.
Chris Cox, Bikers for Trump group leader, said they support the police and security forces.
"We like to see ourselves as Plan B in the case that it does get past them and they do need assistance," he said.
Trump's opponent, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, uses no additional security except for security guards at her campaign offices, the Daily Beast reported.