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President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he plans to turn down his presidential salary, following the practice of his first term.
Trump shared the information about his upcoming salary decision during an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
“I’m not going to accept a salary, no,” Trump told host Kristen Welker.
“I’m giving up a lot of money. You know? You know, it amazed me that, and maybe this isn’t right, but other than George Washington — and they’re not sure about that — every President has accepted their salary, except me,” Trump said.
Welker also asked if Trump accepted the pension, to which the President-elect said, “I don’t think I accepted anything.”
“The President gets about $450,000 a year, and I didn’t take it,” Trump continued, noting, “By the way, I got no credit for that. That’s ok.”
“Well, I am asking you about it for that reason, and I think it’s notable, you’re not going to accept a salary,” Welker replied.
“I didn’t, and I’m not going to, and I don’t believe I got any credit for that, but I just feel — it’s, for me, it’s a nice thing to do,” Trump said. “I was surprised, not one president has done that. I would have assumed Roosevelt would not accept the salary or Kennedy — you know, the Kennedy family is rich.”
During Trump’s first term as president, he donated his salary each quarter to various organizations. In 2017, for example, he donated portions of his salary to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Department of Transportation, and the Education Department, according to Breitbart News.
In 2019, Trump donated his salary to the National Park Service, saying, “I promised YOU I would not take a dime of salary as your President. I donate the entire $400,000! It is my honor to give $100,000 to @NatlParkService to help repair and restore our GREAT National Monuments. So important to our American History! Thank You!!”
