Why are people donating millions of dollars to ridiculous wall-related GoFundMe campaigns?
GoFundMe users are throwing around lots of cash on increasingly ridiculous border wall-related campaigns.
It all started on Sunday when Brian Kolfage launched a page on the crowdfunding platform calling for Trump supporters to bypass Congress and just raise money to build Trump's wall themselves. The goal? Oh, just $1 billion. In less than a week, more than $12.6 million has been raised, with one big-spending user apparently donating $50,000.
Since that campaign started to gain traction, two competing pages have popped up, including one looking to raise $100 million to provide migrants with ladders to get over the wall. It launched Wednesday and has raised more than $89,000. But ladders might not even be required if another GoFundMe page is successful: User Luke O'Neil is looking to raise $200 million to build — wait for it — a "series of giant escalators" over the wall.
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.
If this all sounds too ridiculous to be true, that's because it is. Both pages are fairly tongue-in-cheek and specify that the funds raised will actually go toward a nonprofit group that provides education and legal services to refugees and immigrants.
As for the millions being raised on the original GoFundMe page to pay for the wall (which President Trump repeatedly promised would be paid for by Mexico), any money donated to the U.S. government actually just goes into a fund for "general use" and wouldn't be designated for any particular purpose, Business Insider reports, although the page's founder insists he has an in with the White House to get around that, per NBC News. More than likely, all the people who have donated to this campaign would just be giving the federal government free cash to use on anything but building a wall, which would cost about 21 times the page's goal ridiculously lofty goal anyway.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
'Republicans want to silence Israel's opponents'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 19, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - priority delivery, USPS on fire, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How will Israel respond to Iran's direct attack?
Speed Read Iran’s weekend attack on Israel could escalate into a wider Middle East war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published