Trump: The Least Charitable Billionaire

[Ganja Ninja]

The Donald is a miser, not an “ardent philanthropist.”

APRIL 12--During the recent Comedy Central roast of Donald Trump, the presidential aspirant used his rebuttal time to remind the audience--and a dais of tormentors--that he had “seven billion fucking dollars in the bank.” He delivered this rebuke with the kind of pure joy seen when a boy discovers Santa has brought him a puppy for Christmas.

More than his towering ego, vituperative tongue, or peculiar hairstyle, money has defined Trump during the 30-plus years he has spent in the public eye. He frequently brags of his billions, and even sued a journalist who had the nerve to question whether those 10-figure pronouncements were severely inflated.

Now that Trump is again threatening to run for president ... The Smoking Gun has examined how the 64-year-old developer has spent some of that massive fortune. Specifically, Trump’s philanthropy over the past 20 years, which has been channeled through the Donald J. Trump Foundation.

(snip, snip, snip)

How miserly is The Donald?

During the past two decades, the Trump foundation has made charitable contributions totaling a paltry $6.7 million.

For example, in 2008 alone, Bloomberg’s charitable contributions totaled $235 million. In 2009, Ellison gave his medical foundation stock worth $73.2 million, according to IRS records. Newhouse’s foundation reported making donations totaling $11.8 million on its 2009 IRS return. And a tax return filed last year revealed that the late entertainer Johnny Carson even left his charitable foundation $156 million.

Trump’s miniscule donations have also been dwarfed by the charitable contributions of Leona Helmsley, whom Trump took great pleasure in mercilessly skewering. Helmsley, who died in 2007, left billions to her charitable trust, which last month alone made donations totaling $12.93 million (or nearly twice what Trump’s foundation has donated in the past 20 years).

Much more here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/trump-least-charitable-billionaire-109247

[RandomThoughts]

1. I actually ignore reports of such things.

Many people give privately, without it being reported. To judge someone by charitable giving records sorta removes those that give without fanfare. There are many that give what they have, without mentioning it.

It is far easier to just look at some asset pile, and if it is over some size beyond defense, then they have not done right with it.

Makes more sense.

[Dappleganger]

4. If Donald Trump wasn't a proven attention whore, that might be true.

[LynneSin]

6. Yes, I have to agree with you. Many do give privately but because they are private people

Trump has no clue what being a private person means. Everything Donald Trump does in this world is done so Donald Trump can promote Donald Trump

[provis99]

2. Trump doesn't have any money to give away.

Why else would he do that awful Apprentice show? Its the only way that Trump can avoid poverty. The biggest con he ever pulled was convincing us that he is rich.

[PoliticAverse]

3. He may have 7 billion $ in the bank, but how much of that is money he didn't borrow from someone?

[blondeatlast]

5. He's not even giving money that was donated to his foundation. His heart is clearly as ugly

as his physical appearance.