REUTERS/John Sommers
The questions center on Trump's claims that he donated $1 million to the fundraiser he held instead of attending a Republican debate in January. At the event, he also named other large donations he reportedly solicited for veterans' charities.
But reporters have had a hard time confirming how much money has actually been distributed to veterans' groups. Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold noted Monday on Twitter that he's "still looking for the $1M that @realdonaldtrump says he gave vets" since January.
Trump pushed back on the suggestion that he hasn't raised as much money as he said he did.
"While under no obligation to do so, I have raised between 5 & 6 million dollars, including 1 million dollars from me, for our VETERANS," Trump tweeted Monday night. "Nice!"
He continued: "Much of the money I have raised for our veterans has already been distributed, with the rest to go shortly to various other veteran groups."
Trump then attacked the media for its coverage of the veterans donations.
"Amazingly, with all of the money I have raised for the vets, I have got nothing but bad publicity from the dishonest and disgusting media," he tweeted.
Despite Trump saying he raised between $5 million and $6 million for veterans, his campaign said earlier this week that the January fundraiser only netted $4.5 million, according to The Washington Post.
Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told the Post that some people who had promised donations for the fundraiser backed out. Lewandowski told the Post that he wasn't sure if Trump's $1 million was included in the $4.5 million total he said was raised.
After Trump's tweetstorm, Fahrenthold clarified what he's found out so far about the supposed donations.
View his tweets below:
2/ First and foremost, it did raise at least $3.1M for veterans. We know there was $3.1M b/c vets groups got it https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
3/ But there are still questions about the total $$ raised -- and what @realdonaldtrump gave from his own pocket. https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
4/ For instance, @realdonaldtrump said he'd raised $6M. Last week, his campaign mgr told me it was less --abt $4.5M https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
5/ So how did $6M turn into $4.5M? @realdonaldtrump blamed unnamed donors who backed out. https://t.co/QPDXNBenTO https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
6/ Since then, campaign has said it's not $4.5M. @realdonaldtrump now says it's between $5M and $6M. https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
7/ @realdonaldtrump has not identified which donors backed out. He mentioned 9 donors onstage, including himself. https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
8/ I've found evidence -- from vets groups, from donors, or from Trump staff--that at least 7 of the 9 paid up. https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
9/ Together, those 7 gave $3.75M. @realdonaldtrump's website said online donors gave $670K, which adds up to $4.45M. https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
10/ The other question: to whom did @realdonaldtrump give the $1M he pledged? https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
13/ Bottom line: @realdonaldtrump fundraiser was a huge boost for the vets grps who got donations as a result. https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016
14/...But there are still questions about how much he raised, and how @realdonaldtrump met his personal $1M pledge https://t.co/eL01y8zgYf
- David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) May 24, 2016