A reporter fact checks Donald Trump's claim that he gave 'millions' to charity
Tweetstorm about to commence, about @realdonaldtrump, charity, and another $1M-plus I can't seem to find...
1/Question: Before his $1M gift to vets in May, when was the last time @realdonaldtrump gave $1 of his own money to charity?
2/.@realdonaldtrump has said he gives "millions." But his foundation's tax records don't show that: Trump hasn't given it $1 since '08.
3/.@realdonaldtrump's explanation has been that he's giving privately, outside the Foundation, giving out millions without taking credit.
4/"There’s no way for you to know or understand what those gifts are or when they are made." Tump spox to @buzzfeed.http://tinyurl.com/hvc2glx
5/"Why should I tell you?...I've given millions of dollars away." That was @realdonaldtrump to WaPo this yr.https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold/status/735140874041085953 …
6/And; in last yr @realdonaldtrump was supposed to give away at least $1.1M: combined royalties of 2 books, which he'd pledged to charity.
7/So: I set out to try and prove @realdonaldtrump right. Talked to 100+ grps, which seemed the most likely recipients of his private gifts.
10/That's the 102 charities i though had best connections to @realdonaldtrump...ones he's written about, or gave big $ from his foundation
11/If @realdonaldtrump was giving private donations, I thought, these 102 would be mos likely to get them...
12/Here are the stats so far: 23 no comments. 16 (including the Eric Trump Foundation) haven't responded to repeated calls/emails...
13/...53 had no record of a personal gift from Trump, as far back as their records went...
14/Of the 102, just 10 had *any* record of a personal gift from @realdonaldtrump. But most of those were in 2008 or before.
15/So: before he gave $1M to vets, when did @realdonaldtrump last give $1 of his own money? Last I've found was '09pic.twitter.com/gVK7Yi9pvP
16/And I'm not *entirely* certain about that 1: Other yrs, PAL's records have counted foundation gifts as personalpic.twitter.com/ApSCBBKQwJ
17/So...let's prove @realdonaldtrump right. If u got a personal gift from him, or know somebody who did, DM me. Or fahrenthold@washpost.com
18/Stay tuned for updates! I'll be here for the rest of the day, looking. [BTW @realdonaldtrump has not responded to direct ?s so far]
One source i used: @realdonaldtrump bio on his corporate site. Trump's chance to say what charities matter to him...pic.twitter.com/HZrLtE44sm
Here's @realdonaldtrump personal gifts to those 12: 1 got $ in '16 (Marine Corps-Law Enf. Fdn. got $1M vets gift)...pic.twitter.com/nI3WJQV3aG
...1 last got a personal gift from @realdonaldtrump in '09 (PAL). 1 got gift in '08 (Trump Fdn,, acc to tax docs)..pic.twitter.com/oz2rjYs6Gx
....1 last got a personal gift from @realdonaldtrump in '00 (St.John), 2 gifts were for events in 1995 (Vets, UN)...pic.twitter.com/0zKjRNlEUk
..And 2 charities listed on Trump's bio have never received a gift of Trump's own cash (HistSoc. of PBC, West. Pks).pic.twitter.com/eJLVftdNdh
To repeat, if your group has received a personal donation from @realdonaldtrump since 2008, DM me or email Fahrenthold@washpost.com