President Donald Trump is once again raising eyebrows, this time over comments suggesting that American taxpayers could end up footing the bill for his latest legal fight—only for him to turn around and donate the money to charity.
During a press gaggle aboard Air Force One several days ago on February 6, a reporter pressed Trump on his lawsuit against the IRS ultimately costing taxpayers if he wins in court. “Mr. President, you’re suing the federal government about your taxes, and I’m wondering, is it fair to ask the American people to pay for that?” The reporter asked. Rather than address the issue directly, Trump brushed aside the reporter’s concerns and claimed that any money awarded would go “100% to charity.”
If the federal government loses the case and is required to pay damages, those funds would come from the Treasury’s general account. In other words, ordinary taxpayers would be the ones providing the money. Trump’s promise to give it to charity does nothing to change that basic fact. It simply shifts the decision about where taxpayer funds are allocated from Congress and the budget process to one individual: the president himself.
Trump: ‘I’m Going To Give 100% To Charity’
At first glance, the statement may sound noble. But the reality is far more troubling. Trump’s comments effectively amount to an admission that he is willing to use taxpayer dollars to finance what amounts to a forced charitable donation—one that Americans never agreed to and would have no control over.
That alone would be controversial, assuming he actually donates the money to charity. However, in Trump’s case, it also raises serious credibility questions given his unscrupulous history with charitable organizations.
In 2019, the New York attorney general’s office fined Trump for $2 million after a court found that it had engaged in a “shocking pattern of illegality.” Investigators concluded that Trump had used the charity’s funds for personal and political purposes, including settling legal disputes and promoting his presidential campaign. As part of the settlement, Trump admitted to misusing charitable assets and was required to pay the fine in restitution.
Perhaps most notably, the settlement also barred Trump and his children from serving as officers, directors, or trustees of any non-profit organization in New York for 5 years.
Given that history, Trump’s promise to donate taxpayer money to charity rings hollow to many observers. A president who was forced by a court to shut down his own foundation for misconduct is now asking the public to trust him to decide where government money should be donated. This certainly raises eyebrows, to say the least.
The president may frame the proposal as a charitable gesture, but for critics, it looks more like an attempt to use public funds to polish his image—while unilaterally forcing taxpayers to pick up the tab.
