The Clinton Foundation received foreign funds while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state


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.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump
-
Music reviews: Bruce Springsteen and Benson Boone
Feature "Tracks II: The Lost Albums" and "American Heart"
-
Why passkeys are the next frontier in digital security
The Explainer A disruptive new technology promises to put passwords to bed forever — but not yet
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible