Donald Trump released a statement on Saturday attempting damage control after being caught fundraising off of a phony contest.
“Former president Donald Trump’s political group sent at least 15 emails in recent weeks offering small-dollar donors the chance to win a coveted prize if they gave money: dinner with Trump in New Orleans last Saturday,” The Washington Post reported Friday. “But no such winner was flown to New Orleans last weekend, according to four people familiar with the matter. No flight or “very nice” hotel was booked. Trump had no individual meeting with a small-dollar donor, instead only privately greeting a handful of Republican Party donors who gave large checks, taking pictures with some of the party’s most well-heeled members and speaking to a larger group of donors who each gave tens of thousands of dollars.”
Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich admitted that no prize was every awarded.
“President Trump has awarded more than 100 prizes to contest winners across America, but due to an administrative error in this individual circumstance, the contest winner was not properly notified for last weekend’s event in New Orleans. Consistent with the rules of the sweepstakes, a substitute prize will be awarded to the winner,” Budowich claimed.
Even though his own spokesperson confirmed newspaper’s reporting, Trump claimed in a statement that “reporting by the Washington Postwas inaccurate and, Fake News.”
“A winner from Save America PAC WAS chosen for dinner and that winner, and family, will soon be coming to Palm Beach, Florida,” Trump promised, despite having earlier promised the dinner in New Orleans at least fifteen fundraising appeals.
The statement was one of many Trump sent on Saturday afternoon.
He also issued a statement saying, “The story is Fake News about my plane being ‘mothballed’ in Stewart Airfield in Newburgh, New York because ‘I didn’t think I would need it until 2025.’ My plane, a Boeing 757, is going through a major scheduled maintenance program, which will be completed in approximately 90 days. It will then be put back into service.”
And despite having taken a solemn oath to defend America’s freedom of the press as guaranteed by the First Amendment, Trump also issued a statement whining that “the Media and Big Tech is doing everything possible to destroy our Country. They are truly the ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!”