Trump's US$107M donations record
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, April 20, 2017
![Trump's US$107 mln donations record [File Photo / Shanghai Daily]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20170420/f44d307d91771a624e4b03.jpg "Trump's US$107 mln donations record [File Photo / Shanghai Daily]") |
| Trump's US$107 million donations record [File Photo / Shanghai Daily] |
Powered by billionaires and corporations, President Donald Trump raised US$107 million for his inaugural festivities, documents filed with the Federal Election Commission show, nearly double the record set by President Barack Obama eight years before.
After giving US$5 million, Las Vegas gaming billionaire Sheldon Adelson and his wife had prime seats for Trump's swearing-in ceremony on January 20 and gained access to a private lunch with the president and lawmakers at the Capitol.
Two other casino moguls also gave generously: Phil Ruffin, a close friend, donated US$1 million, and Steve Wynn, now chief fundraiser for the Republican Party, gave US$729,000 through his Wynn Resorts. Health care, energy and beverage companies were among many businesses giving US$250,000 or more.
The inaugural committee's 510-page filing about its donors is not yet available in a data-downloadable format, and converting it will take days or weeks, according to the FEC.
The committee doesn't need to publicly disclose how the money was spent.
In a statement, the inaugural committee said the multi-day event "was one of the most accessible and affordable inaugurations for the public in recent history."
Trump held three inaugural balls, compared with the 10 Obama had at his first inaugural. Trump's team shortened its parade to about 90 minutes. The longest parade, with 73 bands and 59 floats, lasted more than 4 1/2 hours, at Dwight Eisenhower's first inauguration in 1953.
Trump's inaugural team failed to attract the kind of A-list performers who turned out in force for Obama. Trump's headliners included teen singer Jackie Evancho, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Radio City Rockettes. The committee put on a free opening day concert and charged US$50 per ticket to two of its balls. The Armed Services Ball was free.
The slimmed-down affair, which inaugural chairman Tom Barrack said aimed to capture the "soft sensuality" of Washington, raises questions about whether Trump spent the entire sum. He promised to give any extra money to charity.
Trump's US$107 million is "an awful lot of money — it's roughly what we spent on two," said Steve Kerrigan, CEO for Obama's inaugural committee in 2013 and chief of staff in 2009. Kerrigan said the inaugural events may have served as an opportunity for donors to try to curry favor with the incoming president.
Billionaire investor Paul Singer, for example, gave US$1 million after long expressing skepticism about Trump. He's since visited the president at the White House.
Inaugural officials didn't immediately return requests for comment yesterday but their release promised more details about charitable giving at a later date.
Trump placed no restrictions on the amount of money donors could give. Obama limited contributions to US$50,000 in 2009 but lifted that cap four years later.
After raising about US$55 million in 2009, Obama used excess funds to help pay for the White House Easter egg roll and other events.
Trump's inaugural committee said it would "identify and evaluate charities that will receive contributions left from the excess monies raised."
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