Fox & Friends conveniently “forgot” Donald Trump’s long record of wriggling out of pledged charitable donations and acted as though his latest promise – to give $1 million to Hurricane Harvey victims – was the most awesome thing ever. UPDATED.
The Washington Post’s David Farenthold won a Pulitzer after investigating Trump’s disreputable charitable “giving.” Farenthold uncovered Trump's failures to honor millions of dollars in pledged donations; spending other people’s money and claiming credit for himself; and using more than a quarter-million dollars from his charitable foundation to settle lawsuits involving his for-profit businesses.
And who could forget the $10,000 painting of himself Trump bought with his own charity’s money?
As Raw Story noted, Hurricane Sandy victims are still waiting for their 2012 pledge from Trump.
But Fox’s morning Trump Friends acted as if he had already “dipped into his own pocket” as part of the most generous offer ever made by a president (or maybe anyone ever, ever!). Media Matters has the transcript:
PETE HEGSETH (CO-HOST): [Trump will] be in Houston tomorrow to further review the damage and provide support. But he’s also giving his own—digging into his own pocket and giving a million dollar donation for relief efforts.
AINSLEY EARHARDT (CO-HOST): OK. Alright, just let this sink in: The president of the United States of America is dipping into his own personal bank account and giving $1 million. I don’t know if that’s ever been done before. That’s amazing. What a generous act of kindness that he is giving to the folks that are really hurting. People who voted for him. Many people who didn’t vote for him. He doesn’t even care at this point.
HEGSETH: Many people who didn’t vote for him. It doesn’t matter.
EARHARDT: You’re right. I think Hillary won Houston. But he’s dipping into his own personal account to give money to help others.
I certainly hope my suspicions are not borne out and that Trump follows through this time, even if it’s only because he’ll be shamed into it.
But I’m not holding my breath.
Meanwhile, watch the slobbering over a guy with a con artist’s record below, from the September 1, 2017 Fox & Friends, via Media Matters.
9/2/17 Update: The White House has already walked back Trump's pledge.