Eric Trump Foundation Paid Trump Properties Over $500,000 From 2011 to 2016

Documents obtained through a public-records request show the Eric Trump Foundation paid at least $500,000 to properties owned by the Trump Organization between 2011 and 2016. The payments covered golf tournaments, hotel rooms, and other event costs at Trump National Golf Club, Trump SoHo, and Mar-a-Lago.

Invoices detail specific amounts. Trump National Golf Club billed the foundation $20,000 after the 2011 event, $100,000 in 2013, $87,665 in 2014, $78,154 in 2015, and $77,265 in 2016. Trump SoHo charged $45,000 in 2014, at least $8,000 in 2015, and $23,000 in 2016.

Mar-a-Lago received $11,000 for a 2016 satellite event.

The foundation stated it would not sign leases or agreements with companies run by its leaders. Tax filings from 2007 to 2009 show annual expenses near $50,000. After 2010, Trump Organization employees joined the board and expenses rose to $142,000 in 2011.

A former Trump National Golf Club employee told Forbes that Donald Trump directed staff to begin billing the charity for use of the facilities. Some payments to Trump properties did not appear on the foundation's public tax filings.

After a 2017 report on the charity's expenses, the New York attorney general opened an investigation. The foundation later rebranded and continued holding events, spending more than $500,000 annually, almost all at Trump properties. Eric Trump has stated the charity maintained one of the lowest expense ratios of any nonprofit and directed more than $25 million to St. Jude Children's Hospital.