The US president diverted funds donated by veterans to his personal charity to support his 2016 election campaign. He used the money, among other things, to pay for a 1.8-meter-high portrait of himself.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/Y. Gripas
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US President Donald Trump was ordered to pay $2 million (€1.8 million) to several charities after he misused his own charity foundation to further business and political interests.
Trump used money donated by veterans to the now-dissolved Donald J. Trump Foundation to further his 2016 election campaign, found the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, on Thursday.
During the run-up to the 2016 Iowa caucuses, Trump allowed his presidential campaign staff to coordinate with his charity in holding a fundraiser for veterans.
He used $10,000 of the money raised to pay for a 1.8-meter-tall painting of himself, among other things.
The ruling came at the end of a 21-month probe by the New York attorney general's office.
Trump's children must attend charity training course
In addition to the fine, three of Trump's children — Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka — were ordered to attend mandatory training on the duties of charity officials.
Trump will also be restricted on any further charitable activities.
The $2 million fine will be paid to eight different charities, including Citymeals on Wheels, the United Negro College Fund and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The current New York attorney general, Letitia James, called the ruling by the court "a major victory in our efforts to protect charitable assets and hold accountable those who would abuse charities for personal gain."
President Trump responded to the ruling in a tweet, saying the foundation was an "incredibly effective philanthropy" that had made "some small technical violations."
He also criticized James for "deliberately mischaracterizing this settlement for political purposes."
Donald Trump on NATO: Top quotes
From disparaging NATO member states to calling it "obsolete," US President Donald Trump has rarely said something positive about the decades-old military alliance. DW looks at the US president's most memorable quotes.
Image: picture-alliance/Zumapress/J. Torres
Trump on NATO: A war of words
Even before taking office, US President Donald Trump's relationship with NATO has been a tumultuous one, to say the least. He has disparaged the trans-Atlantic alliance, once describing it as "obsolete" and a relic of the Cold War. Here are Trump's most memorable quotes about the military alliance, even if they are at times false.
Image: picture-alliance/Zumapress/J. Torres
'Days of the Soviet Union'
While on the campaign trail in 2016, Trump made clear that he saw NATO as a relic of the Cold War. "You know, we're dealing with NATO from the days of the Soviet Union, which no longer exists. We need to either transition into terror or we need something else." But his remarks didn't account for how the alliance backed the US well after the collapse of the Soviet Union, especially in Afghanistan.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Kulbis
'Germany owes vast sums'
Trump has made defense spending his main talking point on NATO. But he has falsely accused member states of owing money to Washington, saying: "Germany owes vast sums of money to NATO, and the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defense it provides to Germany." The problem is NATO doesn't work like that. No money is owed to the alliance for defense or otherwise.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K. Nietfeld
'Obsolete'
Days before his inauguration, Trump caught NATO members off guard when he claimed the alliance was "obsolete" and threatened to withdraw support. "I said a long time ago that NATO had problems: Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago." Months later, he retracted his statement, citing changes within the alliance. "Now they fight terrorism," he said.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/T. Stavrakis
'Doesn't sound very smart'
Trump had tended to lump trade between US allies with how much Washington spends on defense. "We are spending a fortune on military in order to lose $800 billion (in trade losses). That doesn't sound very smart to me," Trump said. The problem is that while NATO members have agreed to spend 2 percent of their GDP on defense, the alliance has nothing to do with international trade.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/E. Vucci
'We are the schmucks'
During a 2018 rally in Montana, Trump hit out at European allies, saying: "They want (us) to protect against Russia, and yet they pay billions of dollars to Russia, and we're the schmucks paying for the whole thing." Trump was referring to Russia as Europe's primary source for oil and natural gas, but he created a false dichotomy between energy reliance and NATO's defense spending goal.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/V. Kryeziu
'Congratulations, you're in World War III'
In an interview with Fox News, Trump was asked why the US should jump to the defense of NATO ally Montenegro if it was attacked. The president said he asked himself the same question, a remark that appeared to undermine the alliance's collective defense clause. Trump went on to describe Montenegrins as "very strong" and "very aggressive," and that that aggression risked starting World War III.
