Photo shows $20K portrait Trump bought with foundation money
A photo of the Donald Trump portrait that the GOP nominee paid for using his charity foundation’s funds surfaced for the first time Tuesday.
NEW: Here’s the portrait that @realDonaldTrump bought for $20,000, and paid for with money earmarked for charity. Story coming soon… pic.twitter.com/OzCZQBhOsE
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) November 1, 2016
According to previous reporting by the Washington Post, the Trump Foundation paid $20,000 for the painting in 2007 during an auction at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla.
The artist, Michael Israel, released a photo of the portrait, according to the Post. Israel painted the portrait just before it was auctioned off at Mar-a-Lago.
Melania Trump originally placed a $10,000 bid on the painting, which she later doubled. But the check that paid for the painting came from the Donald J. Trump Foundation, rather than either of the Trumps’ personal accounts.
According to tax experts contacted by the Post, Trump may have broken “self-dealing” laws if he placed the portrait in one of his residences or business locations.
While the exact location of the portrait is unknown, Israel’s former manager told the Post that Melania Trump asked that the painting be sent to Trump’s West Chester, N.Y., golf club.
The Republican nominee has made other questionable purchases using funds from his charity, including another portrait of himself he paid $10,000 for in 2014.
In September, a television anchor for Univision booked a stay at Trump National Doral Miami, confirming reports that the portrait was hanging on a wall at the club.
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