Mike Pence says Donald Trump has donated 'tens of millions' to charity. But has he?


On CNN on Monday, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) seemed pretty certain about the charitable giving of his running mate, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. "Anyone who knows anything about Donald Trump and his career knows that this is a man who's given away tens of millions of dollars to charitable causes throughout the course of his business life — he's been incredibly generous," Pence told Wolf Blitzer. "There simply is no question — you can talk to charities all across the country who have benefited by the generosity of the Trump family, and I'm very, very proud of their charitable record."
Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold has spent months calling charities around the country to try to find any charitable donations from Donald Trump, and he has come up with three since 2008, one of them for less than $10,000, the $1 million he gave to veterans groups in May, and a $100,000 check he wrote to a Louisiana church to help with the cleanup from devastating floods. Fahrenthold said he was interested in Pence's claim.
Spokeswoman Hope Hicks responded, saying that "Trump has donated tens of millions of dollars to charities both through his foundation and otherwise," including "regular personal contributions to charities and causes of his choosing outside of the foundation." She did not provide any details or evidence, and Fahrenthold says The Post has found just $9 million in gifts to charity from Trump's pockets in his lifetime, $5.3 million of which went to his Donald J. Trump Foundation before he stopped giving in 2008 and started relying on other people's money for his foundation.
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.
Fahrenthold has also found that Trump has used his foundation in potential violation of the law, including a $250,000 donation to Florida's attorney general he had to pay a fine on, and a $12,000 Tim Tebow football helmet and $20,000 painting of himself he bought for himself with Trump Foundation money. Hicks also said on Monday that "Trump continues to be unfairly maligned for his generosity and we will continue to correct the record," though so far she has not. Fahrenthold notes that Trump could likely clear everything up if he released his tax returns.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
October 19 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's editorial cartoons include Pete Hegseth and the press, an absence of government, and George Washington crossing the Delaware
-
A little-visited Indian Ocean archipelago
The Week Recommends The paradise of the Union of the Comoros features beautiful beaches, colourful coral reefs and lush forests
-
AI: is the bubble about to burst?
In the Spotlight Stock market ever-more reliant on tech stocks whose value relies on assumptions of continued growth and easy financing
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified files
Speed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DC
Speed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operations
Speed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rules
Speed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Act
speed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in Venezuela
Speed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
‘Vile, racist’ leaked chats roil Young Republicans
Speed Read Leaders of Young Republican groups made racist, antisemitic and violent comments in private chats
-
Trump ties $20B Argentina bailout to Milei votes
speed read Trump will boost Argentina’s economy — if the country’s right-wing president wins upcoming elections