The Donald J. Trump Foundation was a private foundation that operated from 1988 until its forced dissolution 2018. Its board members included President Donald Trump and members of his family, along with former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg. 1
Grantmaking
Along with donations to charities supporting children, veterans, medical research, and education, the Donald J. Trump Foundation also made contributions to right-of-center organizations like the American Conservative Union Foundation ($50,000 in 2015), the American Spectator Foundation ($25,000 in 2014), and the Citizens United Foundation ($100,000 in 2014). The Foundation also contributed to Jewish advocacy groups like the American Jewish Committee ($10,000 in 2015), the UJA-Federation of New York ($15,000 in 2014), and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York ($5,000 in 2012). 2
Funding
The Donald J. Trump Foundation was funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses that were disclosed in its tax filings. Notable donations came from Laura Perlmutter ($1 million in 2016), Phil Ruffin ($1 million in 2016), and the Trump Corporation ($502,400 in 2017). 3
Board of Directors
Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States and as of December 2024, the President-elect of the United States, was president of the board of the Trump Foundation through fiscal year 2017 and continued to sit as a board member until the Foundation was dissolved. 4
Eric Trump, son of Donald Trump, was president of the board after Donald Trump and is an executive vice president at the Trump Organization. 5
Donald Trump, Jr., son of Donald Trump, is an executive vice president at the Trump Organization. 6
Ivanka Trump sat on the board until January 2017. 4 Ivanka Trump is a daughter of Donald Trump and served as advisor to the president during the first Trump administration. Ivanka Trump formerly worked at the Trump Organization, overseeing development and acquisitions. 7
Allen Weisselberg was the treasurer of the Trump Foundation and a chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. In March 2023, Weisselberg pled guilty to lying under oath during Trump’s civil fraud trial. 8
Dissolution
The Donald J. Trump Foundation was forced to dissolve in 2018 by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) for misusing charitable funds and violating self-dealing rules. The Attorney General ordered that the Foundation’s remaining $1.78 million in assets and a $2 million fine against then-President Donald Trump for damages be split equally between Army Emergency Relief, Children’s Aid, City Meals-on-Wheels, Martha’s Table, the United Negro College Fund, the United Way of the Capital Area, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial. 9
References
- The Donald J. Trump Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019, Part VIII, Line 1.
- The Donald J. Trump Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2012-2015, Part XV, Line 3a.
- The Donald J. Trump Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016-2017, Schedule B, Part I.
- The Donald J. Trump Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part VIII, Line 1.
- “Eric Trump.” The Trump Organization. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://www.trump.com/leadership/eric-trump-biography.
- “Donald Trump, Jr.” The Trump Organization. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://www.trump.com/leadership/eric-trump-biography.
- “Ivanka Trump.” The White House. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/people/ivanka-trump/.
- Sisak, Michael R. and Marcelo, Philip. “Former Trump executive Allen Weisselberg sentenced to 5 months in jail for lying.” The Associated Press, April 10, 2024. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/weisselberg-trump-perjury-new-york-b76cde56c6cb983ab8789f95d5a0c6c0.
- “AG James Secures Court Order Against Donald J. Trump, Trump Children, And Trump Foundation.” Office of the New York State Attorney General, November 7, 2019. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2019/ag-james-secures-court-order-against-donald-j-trump-trump-children-and-trump.