Records show Trump campaign sent the outstanding amount to Coastal Carolina in May • SC Daily Gazette

COLUMBIA – Former President Donald Trump's campaign has fully paid off a debt to Coastal Carolina University for a February rally, shortly after the SC Daily Gazette reported in May that the bill was still outstanding, according to newly released documents.

A bank statement released Wednesday shows that the public university in Horry County received a check for $37,409.74 from the Trump campaign on May 23 to pay off its debt for hosting a rally ahead of the Republican presidential primary in South Carolina.

This closed the account six days after the Gazette reported that the balance was still outstanding.

In an email earlier this month, the Trump team said the check was sent on May 17, the same day the article about the debt was published.

In total, the campaign paid the school $61,226.43 to hold the Feb. 10 rally on its campus. The campaign paid the first portion of nearly $24,000 via bank transfer two days after the event. The rest wasn't added to the bill until March 21, according to the bank statement.

The Trump campaign claims it did not receive a final invoice until several months after the rally. The university has not provided the Gazette with any records showing when it issued the invoice to the campaign.

The total bill mostly covered labor costs, including city and campus police costs. Other expenses included a two-day rental of the student recreation center and parking lot, as well as food and cleanup.

Another university in South Carolina where Trump held a rally was paid promptly. Trump's campaign had paid Winthrop's $57,300 bill in full for a Feb. 23 campaign rally by March 4, the Gazette previously reported.

President Joe Biden also visited the Palmetto State twice during the Democratic primary. His stay on Jan. 27 and 28 before the Democratic presidential primary cost the city of Columbia more than $88,000 in unreimbursed expenses. The city of Charleston has not recorded any costs related to Biden's Jan. 8 campaign visit.