While Hillary Clinton served as secretary of state, the Clinton Foundation accepted million of dollars from seven foreign governments, including Kuwait, Oman, Norway, Australia, Qatar, and the Dominican Republic.
Those six countries were already donors to the foundation before Clinton became secretary of state, so their donations were allowed under a 2008 ethics agreement with the Obama administration. But in the case of the seventh country, Algeria, foundation officials told The Washington Post, the Clinton Foundation should have sought approval from the State Department ethics office, as mandated for new donor nations under the 2008 agreement. Algeria — which was also lobbying the U.S. government at the time — sent $500,000 for Haiti earthquake relief to the foundation with no advance notice, and it was given as direct aid in Haiti. The country has not donated since, the foundation said.
A spokesman said that all of the contributions were used to fund philanthropic work across the globe, and some donations were part of multiyear grants awarded before Clinton was appointed as secretary of state. She did not formally join the foundation until after she left the State Department in 2013. Foreign countries and individuals are prohibited from giving money to U.S. political candidates, and the foundation said if Clinton decides to run for president, it will change its rules for foreign donors.