Who Gives More to Charity, Obama, Clinton, or Trump?
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2025 4:52 am
I asked chatgpt to research this for me, and here is what it found. Some Trump Republicans around here claim Clintons and Obamas don't do much for charity. The comparison with Trump is electrifying.
The Obamas:
• In 2013, their adjusted gross income was about $481,000, with $59,251 donated to charity—about 12.3% of income (National Taxpayers Union+14 The Chronicle of Philanthropy+14 Forbes+14 TIME).
• Other years ranged higher: for example, in one year they donated over $172,000, or ~14% of total income, including a major gift to Fisher House, which supports military families (The Chronicle of Philanthropy).
• Their book deals and speaking fees led to incomes in the low to mid millions, during which they consistently gave over 10% of their earnings to charity (NonProfit PRO).
Bill & Hillary Clinton
• Between 2007 and 2014, the couple earned nearly $141 million from speeches, books, and other activities, donated about $15 million to charity—roughly 10.6% overall (Wikipedia).
• Bill Clinton alone earned over $100 million in speaking fees by 2012, on top of book income and pensions (The New Yorker+7 Wikipedia+7 Philanthropy News Digest+7).
• The Clinton Foundation, founded in 2001, raised nearly $2 billion through 2016. Charity watchdogs rated it highly: CharityWatch gave it an A and said 88% of its funds go toward programs, with low overhead (Wikipedia).
Donald Trump:
• Public reporting finds Trump has given less than $5 million of his own money over 25 years, representing just 0.05% of his multi billion net worth (The New Yorker).
• Much of what has been counted as “his giving” came from in kind donations (e.g. golf outings), or gifts from others directed through the Trump Foundation—not personal cash (GQ Forbes).
• His foundation was subject to legal action: about $2 million had to be paid to various charities for misusing funds for personal or political purposes (New York State Attorney General+1 Wikipedia+1).
• Tax records reportedly show $0 in charitable contributions by 2020 and a steep decline from earlier years (Yahoo Finance).
Any questions?
The Obamas:
• In 2013, their adjusted gross income was about $481,000, with $59,251 donated to charity—about 12.3% of income (National Taxpayers Union+14 The Chronicle of Philanthropy+14 Forbes+14 TIME).
• Other years ranged higher: for example, in one year they donated over $172,000, or ~14% of total income, including a major gift to Fisher House, which supports military families (The Chronicle of Philanthropy).
• Their book deals and speaking fees led to incomes in the low to mid millions, during which they consistently gave over 10% of their earnings to charity (NonProfit PRO).
Bill & Hillary Clinton
• Between 2007 and 2014, the couple earned nearly $141 million from speeches, books, and other activities, donated about $15 million to charity—roughly 10.6% overall (Wikipedia).
• Bill Clinton alone earned over $100 million in speaking fees by 2012, on top of book income and pensions (The New Yorker+7 Wikipedia+7 Philanthropy News Digest+7).
• The Clinton Foundation, founded in 2001, raised nearly $2 billion through 2016. Charity watchdogs rated it highly: CharityWatch gave it an A and said 88% of its funds go toward programs, with low overhead (Wikipedia).
Donald Trump:
• Public reporting finds Trump has given less than $5 million of his own money over 25 years, representing just 0.05% of his multi billion net worth (The New Yorker).
• Much of what has been counted as “his giving” came from in kind donations (e.g. golf outings), or gifts from others directed through the Trump Foundation—not personal cash (GQ Forbes).
• His foundation was subject to legal action: about $2 million had to be paid to various charities for misusing funds for personal or political purposes (New York State Attorney General+1 Wikipedia+1).
• Tax records reportedly show $0 in charitable contributions by 2020 and a steep decline from earlier years (Yahoo Finance).
Any questions?
