Veterans protest outside Trump Tower over donation claims
Angry army veterans rallied outside Trump Tower, demanding that presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump apologize for overstating his donations.
Trump had skipped the final GOP debate on January 28 before the Iowa caucuses, and instead opted to hold a fundraiser in honor of the nation’s veterans.
At the time, the Trump campaign claimed that the event had netted $5 million, in addition to $1 million donated by the billionaire businessman himself, bringing the total to “more than” $6 million.
However, nearly four months later, only $3.1 million has been accounted for, according to media reports.
Trump hit back at the media late Monday night for giving him “bad publicity” on the issue.
“Amazingly, with all of the money I have raised for the vets, I have got nothing but bad publicity from the dishonest and disgusting media,” Trump wrote on his Twitter account.
The outspoken candidate defended himself against the backlash.
“While under no obligation to do so, I have raised between 5 & 6 million dollars, including 1million dollars from me, for our VETERANS. Nice!” Trump tweeted.
“Much of the money I have raised for our veterans has already been distributed, with the rest to go shortly to various other veteran groups,” he said.
Former Marine Alexander McCoy, who helped organize the rally in Manhattan, said, “We are calling on him to apologize to American veterans and provide the six million dollars that he said that he raised.”
“He has not shown any honor in his actions or his policies. He would make a reckless and dangerous commander-in-chief,” he told the New York Daily News.
Other veterans and rally organizers echoed similar sentiments.
Army veteran Perry O'Brien accused the White House hopeful of “consistently using veterans as political props, and exploiting men and women who are former service members for his own political gain.”
“Many of us … are particularly concerned that he has been using veterans to advance an agenda of bigotry and hate that is not shared by the majority of military and veteran community,” he told the Daily News.
Some protesters held signs that read, “Trumpty Dumpty didn't serve. Trumpty Dumpty broke his word.”
Trump has often come under criticism for avoiding military service during the Vietnam War.
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