Trump Donates Salary For White House Renovation, Says He Is ‘The Only President To Do So’

<p>U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that, apart from George Washington, he is the only president to donate his salary toward renovating the White House. In a statement shared Wednesday, Trump said his first paycheck in office went directly to the White House Historical Association to support upgrades to what he called the “People&rsquo;s House.”</p>
<p>”I am proud to be the only President (with the possible exception of the Late, Great George Washington) to donate my salary,” Trump wrote, adding that his first paycheck went toward “much-needed renovations” to the historic building he called the “People&rsquo;s House.”</p>
<p>Trump said the improvements and beautification work at the White House are “at levels not seen since its original creation.”</p>
<h2>Other Presidents Who Donated Their Salaries</h2>
<p>While Trump has framed his donation as unprecedented, records show that former presidents John F. Kennedy and Herbert Hoover also gave up their salaries during their time in office. Both made similar contributions for public purposes, making Trump&rsquo;s claim factually incorrect.</p>
<p>The White House Historical Association, founded in 1961 by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of the Executive Mansion and ensuring the public has access to it.</p>
<h2>$200 Million Ballroom Project</h2>
<p>The announcement follows comments from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who revealed that Trump is also contributing to the cost of building a new White House State Ballroom, a project estimated at roughly $200 million.</p>
<p>”For 150 years, presidents, administrations, and White House staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed,” Leavitt said at a press briefing.</p>
<p>She added that Trump&rsquo;s contribution was intended to “solve this problem on behalf of future Administrations and the American people.”</p>
<h2>Presidential Salary vs. Trump&rsquo;s Wealth</h2>
<p>Under federal law, the president&rsquo;s base salary is $400,000 per year, plus allowances: $50,000 for expenses, $100,000 for travel, and $19,000 for entertainment.</p>
<p>According to a 2024 financial disclosure reviewed by Reuters, Trump&rsquo;s income far exceeds the presidential pay. The filing showed he earned over $600 million from cryptocurrency investments, golf courses, licensing agreements, and other business ventures, with assets valued at at least $1.6 billion.</p>
<h2>Earlier Donations</h2>
<p>This isn&rsquo;t the first time Trump has donated his presidential salary. In 2017, he gave his earnings to the Department of Education to fund a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) camp for students. The White House at the time said the move was aimed at inspiring young Americans to pursue future careers in STEM fields.</p>