Trump ‘Pledges’ $1 Million Of ‘Personal Money’ To Charity, But Sarah Huckabee Not Sure Of The Source
President Donald Trump has “pledged” to give $1 million of Mr. Trump’s and First Lady Melania’s “personal money” in an effort to help those who have suffered because of Hurricane Harvey. That’s the news that Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered on Thursday, as seen in the below ABC World News video. However, after the White House announced that President Trump was pledging $1 million in personal funds to go toward Harvey relief efforts, the questions and backlash begin. Behind the Twitter tweets from publications that have published news about Trump’s $1 million pledge, there is plenty of commentary showing disbelief about Trump’s $1 million pledge from the general public.
Folks are commenting that they will believe Trump’s $1 million pledge when they see literal receipts or canceled checks or some kind of proof from Trump, who famously refused to release his own tax returns to the public. The news about Trump’s $1 million pledge came in the wake of the White House press briefing when Sanders received queries about Trump doing anything to raise more funds for the relief efforts. That’s when Sanders said she spoke with President Trump and was happy to pass on the news that Trump is “pledging $1 million of personal money to the fund.”
“He’ll pledge proudly $1 million of his own personal money to help the people of Texas and Louisiana.”
The use of the word “pledge” instead of “donate” is being questioned on social media. Sanders asked journalists in the room where Trump should donate the $1 million, but the reporters had additional questions about the source of Trump’s $1 million in “personal money.”
Press Secretary says President Trump pledges a $1 million donation to Harvey relief effort. https://t.co/1nSIEQ2WzV pic.twitter.com/TFOlUkhkxf
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) August 31, 2017
According to Heavy, Sanders did not know where Trump’s so-called “personal money” would be derived, and whether it meant Trump was pledging $1 million from the Trump Foundation or the Trump Organization. Sanders said that she did not know the legalities of how Trump was giving $1 million, but she claimed that Trump said he was “personally going to give,” so Sanders said she assumed that meant that the $1 million was coming directly from Trump.
Whereas some people are applauding Trump for pledging any amount of money in the face of such a big disaster, others want more information about where the $1 million is coming from, where the $1 million will land, and proof that the $1 million from Trump’s personal money was actually given to charity.
[Featured Image by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]