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New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Thursday, Nov. 7, that the New York State Supreme Court ordered the president to pay $2 million to various nonprofit organizations for improperly using charitable assets during the presidential primary in 2016.
The court order comes as part of James’ lawsuit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation and its directors, which include Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump that was filed in 2018.
“A review of the record, including the factual admissions in the Final Stipulation, establishes that Mr. Trump breached his fiduciary duty to the Foundation and that waste occurred to the Foundation,” Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Saliann Scarpulla ruled.
“Mr. Trump’s fiduciary duty breaches included allowing his campaign to orchestrate the Fundraiser, allowing his campaign, instead of the Foundation, to direct distribution of the Funds, and using the Fundraiser and distribution of the Funds to further Mr. Trump’s political campaign.”
As part of the settlement, Trump admitted to misusing Trump Foundation funds and agreed to place limitations on future charitable work. If he were to start a new charitable organization, Trump would have to report it to the state attorney general's office.
Charities getting a piece of the $2 million settlement include: Army Emergency Relief, the Children’s Aid Society, Citymeals-on-Wheels, Give an Hour, Martha’s Table, United Negro College Fund, United Way of National Capital Area, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“The Trump Foundation has been shut down, funds that were illegally misused are being restored, the president will be subject to ongoing supervision by my office, and the Trump children had to undergo compulsory training to ensure this type of illegal activity never takes place again,” James said in a statement.
“The court’s decision, together with the settlements we negotiated, are a major victory in our efforts to protect charitable assets and hold accountable those who would abuse charities for personal gain. My office will continue to fight for accountability because no one is above the law — not a businessman, not a candidate for office, and not even the President of the United States.”
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