Donald Trump fired back Tuesday at reports questioning his fundraising haul from a high-profile veterans event in January, releasing an extensive list of charities he said received the donations — and slamming the media for questioning him.
During a press conference at Trump Tower, the presumptive Republican nominee said he’s raised $5.6 million and more is coming in.
He rattled off the list of charities and the amounts they received, while taking scathing and sometimes-personal shots at the media for pressuring him to disclose the information.
“I have never received such bad publicity for doing such a good job,” Trump said. He added, “The press should be ashamed of themselves.”
The list contained dozens of groups including the Fisher House Foundation and the Green Beret Foundation, which received $115,000 and $350,000, respectively.
In between detailing the recipients, Trump also called members of the media “losers” and complained they treated him unfairly. “I don’t want the credit for it, but I shouldn’t be lambasted,” Trump said, explaining why he named the charities and the donation amounts.
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In January, donors sent money to the Donald J. Trump Foundation when the billionaire businessman held a fundraiser in Iowa – the same night he skipped a Fox News Republican debate. He said they raised $6 million and pledged to give the proceeds of the event to charity.
He also pledged to kick in $1 million of his own money to the cause.
The campaign for months, though, would not disclose which charities got the money, amid speculation that the fundraising haul was not as large as he claimed.
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski initially told the Washington Post they raised about $4.5 million.
But last week, Lewandowski told “CBS This Morning” that Trump will ultimately give $5.5 million to $6 million to veteran groups. Lewandowski said $4.5 million had already been “attributed.”
Among the recipients, according to the campaign, are: Achilles International, the Boston Wounded Vet Run, Racing for Heroes and The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which builds rehabilitation centers for injured military personnel.
Achilles International, which helps wounded veterans train to compete in athletic events, received $200,000, Trump said.
Racing for Heroes reported last week that it has received a large check from the Trump Foundation. Racing for Heroes helps veterans with brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder through auto racing.
The Boston Wounded Vet Run holds an annual motorcycle ride and raises money to help disabled veterans. The group’s founder served in combat with the son of one of Trump’s bodyguards.
The Bob Woodruff Foundation also received a check for $75,000.
“We are grateful for the generosity and trust extended to the Bob Woodruff Foundation through this gift, which will help our efforts to create long-lasting positive outcomes for our nation’s wounded, ill and injured veterans , service members and their families,” Sam Kille, communications manager at the Bob Woodruff Foundation, told Fox News in a statement.
In response to Trump’s speech, a group of anti-Trump veterans held a protest outside of Trump Tower, accusing the New York businessman of using veterans as “political props.”
“What Trump doesn’t understand is that he cannot buy votes of veterans,” former Marine Alexander McCoy said at the event. “No matter how much he donates, (he’s) still not standing for the values that veterans stand for.”
Likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and her campaign also hammered Trump over his past statements on veterans during the press conference.
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