The Red Cross, Salvation Army, And More Charities Are Cancelling Events At Trump’s Mar-A-Lago

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Between high profile firings and public resignations, it’s been a long week from (and for) the Trump administration. But, lost amid the furor is that the Trump Organization is facing a string of high-profile events being shut down as charities abandon the Mar-A-Lago venue space.

The American Cancer Society and the Cleveland Clinic had already abandoned the venue, but it turns out, as Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold is covering on Twitter, that they were just the start of a large exodus, with seven charities leaving:

Among the charities that left were the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Salvation Army, and the Red Cross. The Red Cross’ internal letter on the decision was swiftly posted online and pulls few punches:

It’s worth noting that this isn’t just publicly embarrassing to Trump as charities refuse to work with him over his remarks. It’s actively costing the Mar-A-Lago facility, which is technically Trump’s private home, potentially millions of dollars. Just how much is unclear, but a Washington Post analysis of what it makes off charity dinners found surprisingly high costs:

Trump’s club also made more money, since, according to groups that hold events there, its charges are based on the number of guests. The charity paid about $46,000 for food and to rent the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom, up about $4,000 from last year, Philips said.

Fahrenthold notes that the Susan G. Komen Foundation alone paid $136,000 in fees and raised $1 million in a fundraiser the previous year. Still, likely the most galling moment for Trump might be that one charity, according to Fahrenthold, has not yet committed to using the facility: The Eric Trump Foundation, which was taken over by Trump and used for highly questionable motives. One can be forced to conclude that even Trump, in the end, may not want to do business with Trump.

(via Fahrenthold on Twitter)

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