Trump Foundation forced to close down

Donald Trump’s family-run charity has agreed to be shut down, following allegations that the US president and others misused its funds.

The Attorney General of New York State, Barbara Underwood, announced that the Trump Foundation would be closing, and accused Trump and his three eldest children of using the foundation and its funds for “private and political gain”, the BBC says.

The New York Times says Underwood accused the foundation of “functioning as little more than a chequebook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests,” and of engaging in “a shocking pattern of illegality”, including coordinating with Trump’s successful presidential campaign.

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CBS News reports that the foundation allegedly “raised money at a nationally televised fundraiser in January 2016, then allowed Trump campaign staffers to [illegally] dictate how the money was spent in grants”.

Despite closing down the foundation, the case against the US president and his children Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric would continue, prosecutors say.

If successful, Donald Trump and his three eldest children would be banned from the boards of other New York charities, as well as forced to make payments of at least £2.2 million in restitution and penalties.

The Trump foundation is to be wound up under the supervision of the New York Attorney General’s office, which will oversee the process, including to which charities the foundation’s remaining assets will be distributed.

A lawyer for the Trump Foundation, Alan Futerfas, issued a statement criticising Underwood for attempting to “politicise” the issue, while claiming that the foundation had been seeking to close down itself since Trump’s election in 2016.