Former President Donald Trump was mocked online following a Rolling Stone report that revealed he is demanding that the America First Policy Institute give him the money they've raked in using his name.
Trump voiced a desire for a share of the funds being raised by the pro-MAGA think tank, declaring “It’s my f**king money!” during a private conversation in October, directing his frustration at Brooke Rollins, the leader of AFPI and a former policy aide from his White House.
Trump purportedly expressed concerns that Rollins was capitalizing on his name, insinuating that she was profiting unfairly, saying, "It's not right," and implying that she may not be legally allowed to provide him with such financial gains.
Despite Trump's alleged wish to receive funds from the nonprofit, legal experts pointed out potential legal hurdles. Given that AFPI is a tax-exempt educational nonprofit, any direct payment to Trump might be perceived as an attempt to support a political campaign, which is prohibited by IRS regulations. Moreover, nonprofits are mandated to operate for public benefit and cannot disproportionately benefit private individuals.
However, a spokesperson for Trump has refuted these claims, asserting that such conversations never transpired. Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesperson, dismissed the allegations as fabrications, emphasizing that organizations like AFPI exist due to Trump's movement.
He said:
“None of these conversations ever happened, and these sources who pretend to speak for President Trump clearly have their own agenda so they’ve fabricated elaborate stories to make it seem like they know what’s going on."
"America First-aligned organizations exist because of President Trump and the movement he created, and we look forward to their continued work.”
Similarly, Marc Lotter, AFPI’s chief communications director, said in an email that the story is "FAKE NEWS" and claimed it is "easily disproven with the simple fact in the past three years President Trump has headlined a half dozen events for AFPI, including our Hispanic leadership conference in Miami, his first return trip to Washington, D.C., the Big Tech lawsuit, and three fundraising events at Mar-a-Lago, as recently as last month.”
Trump was swiftly criticized after the story went viral.
The America First Policy Institute, spearheaded by Rollins, boasts several ex-high-ranking officials from the Trump administration, such as Larry Kudlow, Rick Perry, and Linda McMahon.
This institute aligns with various Trump-affiliated think tanks, all striving to formulate a robust ideological structure covering stringent policies, from electoral regulations to even contemplating potential actions like intervening in Mexico.
Trump’s grievances, albeit speculative and potentially unfounded, spotlight his attempts to exert influence over future administrative bodies.
Trump's concerns extend to mounting legal expenses tied to multiple charges—including fraud, allegations of sexual misconduct, and defamation. Over the years, Trump has remained acutely sensitive to any instance, real or perceived, of financial gains being made off his persona without explicit authorization.
