Melania Trump Forced to Buy Husband’s Portrait at Mar-a-Lago Charity Auction
OLIVIER DOULIERY/ ABACA PRESS(SIPA VIA AP IMAGES)
Melania Trump found herself in an unusual situation at a charity event held at Mar-a-Lago, her husband Donald Trump’s lavish Florida estate. The event featured a “speed painter” named Michael Israel, known for creating large portraits in under seven minutes. The subject of the evening’s painting was, unsurprisingly, Donald Trump.
As the event unfolded, the massive portrait of Donald Trump was put up for auction, with Melania Trump kicking off the bidding at $10,000. However, when no other bids followed, the auctioneer encouraged Melania to raise her bid, suggesting that her presence had discouraged other potential buyers. In response, Melania increased her bid to $20,000 for the quickly painted portrait.
But, as reported by The Washington Post, neither Melania nor Donald actually paid the $20,000. Instead, the Trump Foundation covered the cost. According to Quartz, Melania was essentially compelled to participate in the auction to avoid the embarrassment of having no bids for the portrait, something Donald Trump, known for his aversion to humiliation, would not have taken lightly.
The Washington Post’s reporter David A. Fahrenthold later revealed that the Donald J. Trump Foundation had paid not only $20,000 for the six-foot-tall painting of Trump but also $12,000 for a signed football helmet by Tim Tebow. These purchases raised questions about potential violations of federal tax law if they were not made for charitable purposes.
The portrait, in particular, sparked discussions and even became a point of critique in former President Barack Obama’s campaign for Hillary Clinton. Fahrenthold reported that the painting is believed to still be at the Trump National Golf Club Westchester in Briarcliff Manor, New York. Melania had reportedly instructed Michael Israel’s assistant, Jody Young, to send the painting there.
The painting’s final cost was $20,000, with $10,000 going to charity and $10,000 to Israel, funded entirely by the Trump Foundation. Notably, 2007 was the last year Donald Trump contributed personal funds to the foundation.
Despite the auctioneer’s claim that an Israel portrait of Warren Buffett had once sold for over $100,000, the $20,000 sum for Trump’s portrait raised concerns about the use of foundation funds. Trump could have purchased the portrait with his own money. However, when considering that the $20,000 for the painting came from the $35,000 Donald Trump donated to his foundation in 2007.
It reveals that his personal contribution that year was effectively only $15,000. The rest of the foundation’s funds came from other charitable organizations, reflecting Trump’s broader strategy of using others’ money to finance his endeavors, similar to how he funded much of his presidential campaign.
