Trump Hasn’t Given a Penny to His Charity Since 2008
One day after announcing he will close the Donald J. Trump Foundation the president-elect took to Twitter to defend the charity that is under investigation and has been ordered to cease its fundraising. While Donald Trump hasn’t given a penny to his charity since 2008 – instead relying on the kindness of donors like WWE wrestling owners Vince and Linda McMahon, who gave the foundation $5 million – he claimed to have given “millions of dollars” to the foundation. Linda McMahon, who also gave millions to help Trump get elected, is now his nominee to head the Small Business Administration.
“I gave millions of dollars to DJT Foundation, raised or recieved [sic] millions more, ALL of which is given to charity, and media won’t report!” Trump tweeted Monday night.
“The DJT Foundation, unlike most foundations, never paid fees, rent, salaries or any expenses. 100% of money goes to wonderful charities!”
The Washington Post’s David Farenthold reported the Christmas-eve news Trump is shuttering the family charity, noting it “has come under intense scrutiny this year after a series of reports in The Washington Post detailing its practices, including cases in which Trump apparently used the charity’s money to settle lawsuits involving his for-profit businesses.”
The Post also reported that in tax filings Trump’s foundation admitted it engaged in the illegal practice of self-dealing, giving funds or assets to those not legally allowed to accept them.Â
 The Trump Foundation spent $30,000 to buy two large portraits of Trump himself, including one that was hung up in the sports bar at a Trump-owned resort. Trump also appears to have used $258,000 of his foundation’s money — legally earmarked for charitable purposes — to settle lawsuits involving two of his for-profit clubs.
In addition, the Trump foundation gave a $25,000 gift to a campaign committee backing Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) even though nonprofits like the charity are not allowed to give political gifts. That gift was made as Bondi’s office was considering whether to investigate fraud allegations against Trump University.
In fact, The Washington Post’s editors have written several editorials on Tump’s fake charity, including:
Trump’s character-free charity charade
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman banned the Trump Foundation from further fundraising after learning it had not registered with the state of New York. He has promised to complete his investigation into the Trump Foundation even though it’s being shuttered.
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