Trump: Nearly $6M Raised for Veterans Has Been 'Paid Out'

Donald Trump Tuesday blasted the media as he revealed the list of veterans groups that are receiving the nearly $6 million raised through his January fundraiser.

He criticized he media for demanding specifics about the fundraising, calling the constant speculation "bothersome" and the press has been "dishonest" in its coverage.

"I have raised a tremendous amount of money for the vets, almost $6 million and more money is going to come in," Trump told reporters at a press conference at Trump Tower in New York City.

"All of the money has been paid out and I'm going to give it to you in a second. I brought a list just in case that question was asked but the money has been paid out."

And meanwhile, while he was making his announcement, he pointed out that there were people outside picketing "who were sent there by Hillary Clinton, picketing that the money wasn't sent. The money has all be sent."

The New York veterans, representing the #VetsVsHate movement and VoteVets, planned a rally outside Trump Tower to respond to Trump's press conference about the donations, the liberal group Americans United for Change announced early Tuesday.

Trump said he wanted to keep the distribution private, "because I don't think it's anybody's business if I want to send money to the veterans, but I have to say this, I raised close to $6 million. It will probably be over that amount when it's all said and done but as of this moment, it's $5.6 million."

But, chastising the reporters at the press conference, he said the media "should be ashamed of themselves. They are calling me and they are furious because I sent people checks...instead of "thank you very much, Mr. Trump,' Or 'Trump did a good job,' everyone said, 'who got it, who got it. You make me look very bad. I have never received such bad publicity for doing such a good job."

It did take some time to vet organizations before sending out money, said Trump, and "zero dollars were taken out for administration."

And many groups, said Trump, were called by the media and did not feel comfortable saying they got certified checks.
He then announced the recipients:

Achilles International $200,000
American Hero Adventures, $100,00
Americans for Equal Living, $100,000
America's Debt Dogs, $75,000
AmVets, $75,00
Armed Services,YMCA of the United States, $75,000
Bob Woodruff Family Foundation Inc., $75,000
Central Iowa Shelter and Service, $100,000
Connected Warriors Inc., $75,000
Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust, $115,000
Fisher House Foundation, $115,000
Folds of Honor Foundation, $200,000
Foundation for American Veteran, $75,000
Freedom Alliance, $75,000
Green Beret Foundation, $350,000
Hire Heroes USA, $75,000
Homes for our Troops, $50,000
Honoring America's Warriors, $100,000
Hope For the Warriors, $65,000
Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, $175,000
Canines for Warrior, $50,000
Liberty House, $100,000
Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, $1.1 million (including $1 million from Trump)
Navy SEAL Foundation, $465,000
Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, $75,000
New England Wounded Veterans Inc., $75,000
Operation Homefront, $65,000
Partners for Patriots, $100,000
Project for patriots, $100,000; BJ Foundation, $100,000
Racing for Heroes Inc., $200,000
Support to Land Soldiers, $100,000;
Task Force Dagger Foundation, $50,000
The Mission Continues, $75,000
The National Military Family Association Inc., $75,000
Veterans Airlift Command, $100,000
Veterans count, $20,000
Veterans in Common Inc., $50,000
Warriors For Freedom Foundation, $80,000

Trump insisted he did not want to take personal credit for raising all the money, and there many, like Carl Icahn and others giving large donations.

"There is a lot of money and I didn't have to do that.it would have been easier just to give a speech but the problem with the press, what they do is they convince people like me not to do it, not give money to different things because it's a lot easier actually that way,"

He said he gave his donation to the Marines, who honored him last year at a Waldorf-Astoria event, but he had planned to give it to three charities, but "we couldn't vet them quickly."

And he discounted a reporter's question about whether he thinks he should be held accountable for the money that came in for his January fund-raiser.

"I'm totally accountable but I didn't want to have credit for it," Trump said. "What I got was worse than credit because they were questioning me….find out whole how much Hillary Clinton has given to the veterans, nothing."

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