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One of the few campaign promises President Donald Trump appears to have kept during his tenure as President has been donating his salary to various charities and initiatives over the tenure of his presidency.
That's one of the first talking points employed by Trump's allies, who conveniently ignore the ample evidence that Trump continues to profit from his businesses both foreign and domestic, and his golf trips alone have cost around 287 years' worth of presidential salaries.
That didn't stop White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham from taking to Twitter to boast that the President would be donating this quarter's portion of his $400,000 salary to the Department of Health and Human Services for research against the growing coronavirus outbreak.
President @realDonaldTrump made a commitment to donate his salary while in office. Honoring that promise and to fur… https://t.co/M3GHa9RYI9— Stephanie Grisham (@Stephanie Grisham) 1583260727.0
But Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) took a break from a busy Super Tuesday schedule to point out that Trump seeks to do a lot more harm than good to government entities looking to curb the spread of the virus.
Trump’s budget to Congress makes annual funding cuts of: $167,000,000 to Health Preparedness $175,000,000 to Cente… https://t.co/jvEnKIeu21— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1583268039.0
Trump's latest budget proposes $3.3 billion worth of cuts to government health services—or 8,355 years of presidential salaries.
Bernie wasn't the only one to point out the hollowness of Trump's gesture.
First of all, the President is still making money, you guys.
This is a meaningless gimic. President Trump's decision not to divest his businesses netted him $434 million in p… https://t.co/e6vrQqTfQK— Robert Maguire (@Robert Maguire) 1583264691.0
REMINDER: Trump's salary is a drop in the bucket compared to the money businesses, politicians, and foreign governm… https://t.co/9tSObmhmwb— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1583264496.0
👀Wouldn't U give $100k away to rob the taxpayers of over $300 Million 💰? @realDonaldTrump is getting the #MAGA i… https://t.co/RkjrqwrC0D— Jamie Marcum (@Jamie Marcum) 1583269308.0
Just a reminder that the Trump Organization still refuses to actually disclose how much revenue it's getting from f… https://t.co/TRyhm1QojA— Jeremy Venook (@Jeremy Venook) 1583264578.0
How's he making this money? By spending taxpayer dollars at his golf courses and resorts.
Trump is looting taxpayer dollars through all the stays at his properties that we're paying for:… https://t.co/71QXQZ8AOy— Zachary Pleat (@Zachary Pleat) 1583268536.0
Donation is merely to deflect from the huge costs to the US taxpayer to cover his golf & his grown kids. https://t.co/1bsbuNywfy— coleenneary (@coleenneary) 1583266692.0
That would only pay for part of one of his weekend golf trips. https://t.co/JNcXoHUbFE— Billy Shoes (@Billy Shoes) 1583266027.0
My friend @DavidBrodyCBN is retweeting this nonsense. Who has the updated tally on the amount of taxpayer money be… https://t.co/9VvRv9gr6t— Bill Prady (@Bill Prady) 1583266952.0
What's more, refusing a salary from the people one works for removes a layer of accountability.
If the President refuses payment from taxpayers, he can feasibly claim that because he's not receiving payment from them, he isn't beholden to them.
This would explain a lot of the President's more deplorable actions.
For a deeper look into Trump's corruption, Sinking in the Swamp is available hereis available here.