President Trump has donated his first quarter Presidential salary to the Department of Veterans Affairs. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the donation on Thursday during a press briefing.
“Today, the President is proud to donate his 2018 first quarter salary to the Department of Veteran Affairs to support their caregiver programs,” she said.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announces President Trump’s 2018 first quarter salary will be donated to the Department of Veterans Affairs https://t.co/xf4RD2fiZN pic.twitter.com/ex6XzwM5oP
— CNN (@CNN) May 18, 2018
Acting VA Secretary Robert Wilkie – now also the VA Secretary nominee, Trump announced Friday – was on-hand at the press briefing to accept the donation.
Wilkie said the money would be used for mental health and peer support programs, financial aid and research.
“The president’s gift underscores his promise to do all he can for vets, which includes supporting those who care for veterans. Not just those of us at VA, but the husbands, the wives, the families and the community caregivers who are out there day in and day out,” Wilkie said.
As President-elect, Trump promised to give up his $400,00 yearly Presidential salary once elected.
“As far as salary is concerned, I won’t take even one dollar,” Trump wrote on Twitter in September 2015. “I am totally giving up my salary if I become President.”
Trump is required by law to receive a paycheck, but has donated the money every quarter to various organizations.
His first donation was made to the National Park Service in April 2017. Later that year, he gifted his quarterly paycheck to the Department of Education, with Sanders presenting a $100,000 check to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.
Trump has also donated portions of his salary the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Transportation.
