Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s spokeswoman was unable to name a veterans group that would receive money from the real estate mogul’s campaign event on Thursday.
Trump said that he would hold the Iowa event in lieu of attending the Republican presidential debate on Fox News, with proceeds from the event going to veterans. But when pressed in an interview with CNN, spokeswoman Katrina Pierson was unable to specify any organizations that would receive those funds.
Pierson said that the money would be raised “in bulk and disbursements will be spread all across the country to veterans organizations. And those who don’t want to receive the money we’ll make sure not to send them a check.”
CNN host Jim Sciutto interrupted Pierson and asked her to name one veterans group that would benefit from the event. She said she couldn’t hear him and Sciutto repeated the question.
“Well, I believe there might be a list now on the website,” Pierson responded. “There are a lot of organizations that are in queue to sign up for this. There are veterans that will be attending tonight and will be doing some of the program as well.”
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted later Thursday that the list of organizations would be announced during Trump’s event.
List will be announced during @realDonaldTrump‘s speech tonight. https://t.co/qORsfkm8Ex
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 28, 2016
The website that Trump’s campaign set up to encourage people to donate in support of veterans, donaldtrumpforvets.com, specifies that “100 percent” of donations would go “directly to Veterans needs.” But the website does not list any organizations that would receive the money other than the Donald J. Trump Foundation, as The Federalist noted:
Shortly after Pierson’s interview, NBC reporter Katy Tur tweeted that the Trump campaign was in touch with at least one veterans organization:
K9s for Warriors, a group Trump gave to last year, tells NBC News that they just received a phone call from the Trump Campaign.
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) January 28, 2016
Group says campaign says they’re one of 18 non-profits being considered for donations as a result of this evening’s event.
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) January 28, 2016
The founder of at least one veteran group, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, has said that the organization will not accept the donations.
