Donald Trump has refused to submit evidence to MSNBC that he did indeed donate his salary as he promised CBS' Leslie Stahl.
In November of 2016, Trump said this on 60 Minutes:
“Well, I’ve never commented on this, but the answer is no,” Trump said. “I think I have to by law take $1, so I’ll take $1 a year. But it’s a -- I don’t even know what it is.”
Stahl reminded the president-elect, “[That’s] $400,000 you’re giving up.”Again, Trump answered, “No, I’m not gonna take the salary. I’m not taking it.”
Host and legal analyst Ari Melber of The Point, is looking for answers.
MSNBC requested details and documentation about any salary donations from the White House, the Treasury Department and the Office of Personnel Management, which all declined to say whether Trump has donated any of his salary to date. (OPM referred questions to the White House.)
By law every president is required to take a paycheck, but they are free to do what they like with their money.
Melber said, "His second federal paycheck is now just over a week away and we can tell you tonight, despite repeated inquiries from MSNBC, the White House and treasury department refused to offer any proof that he's keeping his word."
He continued, "Here are the facts and the law. The constitution requires the Commander in Chief to be paid and federal law makes that salary $400,000 annually. Trump would have gotten his first monthly paycheck for $33,000 or so in February. Now, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders has told Politifact last month that the president, quote, 'will be giving his salary back to the treasury or donating it to somebody.'
"Now, we followed up. we asked the Treasury Department, the personnel office, and the White House directly, we said, "hey, the president -- has the president accepted and deposited the funds for his first paycheck, has he donated the money and if so, where did it go and if not, where and when will it be donated."
I'm surprised Trump hasn't conned the TV networks into hosting a one-hour special that starts at 8PM EST, in which in the middle of one of his loony rallies, as the crowd demands Hillary to be locked up, he offers up his paycheck during some fascist, ritualistic ceremony.
Outside of that, I doubt he'll give up the cash quite so easily.
And if he does, is he going to make it a tax write-off? Ya think?
UPDATE: Spicer responds:
