Donald Trump Donated to Kamala Harris’ Campaign: Here’s What She Did with the Funds
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In 2011, as a private citizen, Donald Trump donated $5,000 to Kamala Harris’ reelection campaign for California attorney general. He gave another $1,000 in 2013.
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In 2019, a spokesperson for Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign informed McClatchy that Harris donated the $6,000 from Trump to a nonprofit advocating for Central Americans’ civil rights. This donation is confirmed by California campaign finance records.
In Details:
As Vice President Kamala Harris competes for the Democratic presidential nomination following President Joe Biden’s exit from the 2024 race, some social media users are highlighting a donation she received nearly 13 years ago from former President Donald Trump.
A Threads post from July 21 featured a photo of a $5,000 check Trump wrote in September 2011 for Harris’ California attorney general reelection campaign. The post claimed, “A donation (Harris) returned.”
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Although it’s true that Trump, then a private citizen and now the Republican presidential nominee, donated to Harris’ attorney general campaign, the post is misleading about what Harris did with the money.
After his 2011 donation, Trump contributed an additional $1,000 to Harris’ campaign in February 2013. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, also donated $2,000 to Harris’ campaign in June 2014, according to California campaign finance records.
A spokesperson for Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign told McClatchy in 2019 that Harris donated the $6,000 from Trump to “a nonprofit that advocates for civil and human rights for Central Americans.” This donation occurred in 2015, following Harris’ reelection as California’s attorney general in 2014, and is confirmed by California campaign finance records.
In July 2015, Harris’ campaign records show a $6,000 “civic donation” to the Central American Resource Center in Los Angeles.
When we reached out to Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign for more details, a spokesperson directed us to the McClatchy report. The article did not specify what Harris did with the $2,000 from Ivanka Trump.
After Harris joined Biden as his running mate in 2020, a spokesperson for Biden’s presidential campaign informed The Washington Post that Harris did not solicit these donations from Donald Trump.
Donating the money from Trump to a nonprofit does not equate to returning it. We rate this claim as False.
Our Sources
The Washington Post, “Trump previously donated $6,000 to Kamala D. Harris’s campaigns,” Aug. 12, 2020
USA Today, “Donald Trump once donated to Kamala Harris campaign in California,” July 21, 2024
