Trump Campaign’s Hurricane Relief Fund Raises Questions About Fund Allocation
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Donald Trump’s campaign has launched a fundraising effort for hurricane relief, but questions have emerged about where the collected funds are actually going. The campaign set up a fundraising page billed as “an official response for MAGA supporters to offer their financial assistance to their fellow Americans impacted by Hurricane Helene,” according to a report by The New Republic.
The page lists four charities that it claims will receive the donations. Three of these charities are Christian or Evangelical organizations—Samaritan’s Purse, Water Mission, and Mtn2Sea Ministries—while the fourth is the “Clinch Foundation,” which appears to be connected to Clinch Memorial Hospital in Valdosta, Georgia. Despite this list, there has been little clarity on how the funds, which totaled around $7.7 million as of Monday, will be distributed.
Mtn2Sea Ministries reported that they had received $25,000 from the campaign’s fundraising efforts. A post on the charity’s Facebook page expressed gratitude: “This is the only funds we expect to [receive] from this GoFundMe account and are very grateful for it to help us serve.”
However, the Trump campaign has not provided detailed information on how the remaining millions will be allocated. This lack of transparency has raised eyebrows, though the campaign’s use of a crowdfunding platform does not violate campaign finance laws. Typically, political candidates donate funds raised for charitable purposes to IRS-approved nonprofits.
“It’s pretty unusual and actually quite odd,” said campaign finance attorney Brett Kappel, commenting on the structure and handling of the fundraiser. Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, defended the initiative, stating that Trump wanted to “help find a way for his supporters to give as much direct support as they can.”
As of now, it remains unclear how or when the majority of the funds will reach the listed charities, leaving many wondering about the true impact of the fundraising efforts. With a significant amount of money already collected, the Trump campaign is likely to face increasing pressure to provide more transparency regarding the distribution of the relief funds.
