Politics

Trump Donates Second Quarter Salary To Surgeon General’s Office

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Amber Athey Podcast Columnist
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President Donald Trump will donate his second quarter presidential salary to the Surgeon General in order to fund a public health advisory, the White House said Friday.

The White House first shared the news with USA Today but declined to say the subject of the upcoming health advisory, instead touting the work of the Surgeon General’s office.

“The President recognizes the important mission of the Surgeon General to protect and improve the health of all Americans, including helping to tackle the opioid epidemic and raise awareness of the dangers of e-cigarette usage among teenagers and children,” the White House said in a statement.

HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley said, “His decision to donate his salary is a tribute to his compassion, to his patriotism, and to his sense of duty to the American people. He has a sincere interest in public health issues to which HHS is going to devote his donation.”

Trump promised during his campaign that he would donate the annual $400,000 presidential salary if he were to win the election. He has since upheld that promise, donating his quarterly payouts to the National Park Service, the Department of Education, the Department of Homeland Security, and other various government agencies. (RELATED: Trump Donates $100,000 Of His Salary To Help Fund Immigration Enforcement)

The president also used his personal money to buy fast food for the championship Clemson football team during a visit to the White House in January, citing the fact that much of the White House staff was furloughed at the time because of the government shutdown.