UNITED STATES—While President Donald Trump was on the campaign trail in 2015, he made a promise that if elected, he would not take a salary, and has been making donations since being elected into office in 2016.
His campaign promise includes him writing a $100,000 check every quarter to the charity of his choice, which is the equivalent of his presidential salary. In 2017, the National Park Service received his first paycheck and the U.S. Department of Education received his second check.
“The funds will be used to host a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-focused camp for students. This announcement is the latest step that President Trump has taken in order to inspire interest in the STEM-related areas of study and ensure that Americans are being trained for the jobs of the future,” stated the White House website.
The Department of Health and Human Services were recipients of the third paycheck during 2017, and the Department of Transportation received funds for the last quarter of 2017. In 2018, President Trump started donating his first quarter’s paycheck to U.S. Military Veterans.
The Small Business Administration received his second paycheck and the Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism were recipients of his third-quarter pay. The fourth quarter paycheck for 2018 went to the Department of Homeland Security.
In 2019, President Trump gave his first-quarter salary to the Department of Agriculture. His second quarter check was a donation to the Surgeon General’s Office. In the third quarter the check went to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health, and the fourth quarter funds went to the Department of Health and Human Services.
“Trump’s $100,000 will support the efforts being undertaken to confront, contain, and combat Coronavirus,” said White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham. This donation came in time for the President’s, “Operation Warp Speed,” a program of hhs.gov to get the coronavirus vaccine out to the public.
“Operation Warp Speed’s goal is to produce and deliver 300 million doses of safe and effective vaccines with the initial doses available by January 2021, as part of a broader strategy to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics (collectively known as countermeasures),” states the Department of Health and Human Services.
“I promise you I will not take a dime of salary as your President. I donate the entire $400,000! It is my honor to give $100,000 to give @NatParkService to help repair and restore our great monuments. So important to our American history. Thank You!” said President Trump.
