A Facebook post claims that US President Donald Trump is allegedly seeking donations of $421 million towards his recovery from COVID-19.
The same claim was shared by several times both on Facebook and Twitter, including a post saying that the donation is part of Trump’s attempts to get himself out of debt.
Background
On October 2, President Trump announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. The two underwent treatment at the Walter Reed Medical Center and on October 5, Trump announced that he had been discharged.
One of Trump’s last public appearances, before he fell sick, was the first round of presidential debates which occurred on September 30. During the debate, President Trump was asked to respond to a New York Times report revealing that he has been avoiding taxes, and is “personally responsible for loans and other debts totalling $421 million”. $421 million is the same amount that Trump is allegedly seeking for his recovery from COVID-19.
Verification
The $421 million donation has not been communicated via any official communication platforms belonging to the US government, neither is it on Donald Trump’s personal Twitter account where he routinely shares information about himself.
Moreover, an appeal to fundraise for the president’s medical care is rather suspicious since this is normally covered by the US federal government.
“The president’s everyday health care is already very luxurious. He receives free care from the White House Medical Unit—a robust team that staffs an on-site, miniature urgent-care facility inside the White House and sometimes travels with the president. US Naval Commander Sean Conley is the head of this unit and serves as the president’s physician,” a report on The Atlantic news site reveals.
A fact-check article on the Politifact website also found that the message calling for donations towards Trump’s recovery is fake, as confirmed by Republican National Committee Spokeswoman Mandi Merritt.
Verdict
Claims that President Donald Trump has appealed to the public for donations of up to $421 million towards his COVID-19 recovery are FALSE.
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