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Trump said January Iowa speech raised $5.6 million for veterans charities

By Eric DuVall
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee for President Donald Trump speaks at a press conference at Trump Tower on Tuesday in New York City. The event addressed questions over a January veterans fundraiser. Photo by Bryan R. Smith/UPI
1 of 3 | Presumptive Republican presidential nominee for President Donald Trump speaks at a press conference at Trump Tower on Tuesday in New York City. The event addressed questions over a January veterans fundraiser. Photo by Bryan R. Smith/UPI | License Photo

NEW YORK, May 31 (UPI) -- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said during a press conference Tuesday he raised $5.6 million for a wide range of veterans groups, and heavily criticized members of the media for what he said was "dishonest" reporting on the matter.

The issue began in January when Trump announced he would not attend a debate hosted by Fox News in Iowa, days before the Iowa caucuses. Instead, Trump said he would give a speech and offered it as an opportunity for supporters to donate money to Trump's charitable foundation, which he would then dole out to veterans groups.

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On Tuesday -- four months after the January fundraiser -- Trump announced the list of groups that = received money, and how much each had gotten. The press conference came after some critical media reports originating in The Washington Post, that questioned how much was raised, how much Trump himself had donated, where the money was going and when it was sent.

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During a follow-up interview with the Post a week ago, Trump initially refused to hand over documentation resulting from the fundraiser.

"I wanted to keep it private because I don't think it's anybody's business if I want to give money to the vets," Trump said on Tuesday.

That was not the case during the fundraiser in January.

"Donald Trump -- another great builder in New York, now a politician -- I can't stand this, a politician," Trump said during the fundraising speech, using his favored off-the-cuff style of speaking. "I don't want to be called a politician. All talk, no action -- I refuse to be called a politician. Donald Trump gave $1 million. OK?"

On Tuesday, Trump repeatedly said his sole intention was to raise money for veterans, but the hour-long speech and the mass media coverage of his controversial decision to skip the Fox News debate amid a feud with anchor Megyn Kelly had its own effect on the campaign, though precisely what effect it had is difficult to say.

Trump went on to narrowly lose the Iowa caucuses to Sen. Ted Cruz less than a week later.

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What the candidate did make clear Tuesday was his contempt for reporters questioning whether the fundraiser was legitimate.

"I'm the only one in the world to raise almost $6 million for the veterans, earn uniform praise from veterans groups, then be criticized [by] the press. I think the political press is among the most dishonest people I've ever met," Trump said, at times singling out reporters at the press conference with personal invectives.

He repeatedly called specific reporters "dishonest" and at one point referred to a male reporter as "a real beauty" and another person a "sleaze."

Trump said the list of roughly two dozen veterans groups was culled through conversations with his campaign's advisers on veterans affairs and others within the military. It was unclear whether any of the groups who sent funding requests in the wake of the January event were included on the list, but Trump said there was not a formal application process, adding he was not personally involved with the selection or vetting process.

"I'm totally accountable for it, I didn't want the credit for it. The press treated me so unfairly," Trump said. "I had teams of people, reviewing statistics, talking to people in the military" to determine which groups would get money.

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As for his own $1 million donation, that money went in a lump sum to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Society, a charitable group that has honored Trump in the past. He said Tuesday he would have preferred to spread his donation to multiple groups, but due to the extensive vetting process, he decided to stay with a group he's supported in the past.

Summing up his feelings on the veterans fundraiser and why he felt the need to call a press conference to clear the air, Trump said: "I don't want the credit for it, but I don't want to be lambasted for it."

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