President Trump fulfilled his promise to send a $25,000 check to the family of fallen solider, Dillon Baldridge, according to The Washington Post. The check came over 3 months after Trump called Chris Baldridge, Dillon’s father, and offered the money. The timing, however, is a little bit suspicious.
The news that Trump had finally sent the check came the same day that The Washington Post first revealed that he hadn’t followed through on the offer. The Post stated that the White House wouldn’t even discuss the events in detail at first.
Lindsay Walters, White House spokeswoman, told CNN that “it’s disgusting that the media is taking something that should be recognized as a generous and sincere gesture, made privately by the President, and using it to advance the media’s biased agenda.”
In letter to Baldridge family, shared only w/ @ABC11_WTVD, @realDonaldTrump says “I hope this will make things a bit easier.” @ABCWorldNews pic.twitter.com/MFu2DpGlQK
— Jonah Kaplan (@KaplanABC11) October 23, 2017
In Trump’s letter to Chris Baldridge, the President says that his legal counsel was to blame for the wait. “There is a substantial process that can involve multiple agencies anytime the President interacts with the public, especially when transmitting personal funds,” according to a White House spokesperson. They went on to express that the timing of the Washington Post’s report was coincidental.
The spokesperson went on to say that, “the President has personally followed up several times to ensure that the check was being sent” and it has been in the works ever since the initial phone call.
A picture of the check shared by a reporter from ABC-11 in North Carolina confirmed that the check came from Trump’s personal account.
EXCLUSIVE: NC #GoldStar family receives $25,000 personal check, months after condolence call from @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. @ABC11_WTVD @ABC pic.twitter.com/eTUxCCgYMY
— Jonah Kaplan (@KaplanABC11) October 23, 2017
Baldridge has yet to comment on receiving the check, but said in the past that he was “floored” by the President’s offer.
This all coincides with the aftermath of Trump’s alleged comments about Sgt. La David Johnson and his subsequent social media attacks aimed at Johnson’s widow.
According to Frederica Wilson, Democratic representative for Florida’s 24th District, President Trump told Johnson’s widow that the fallen sergeant “knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt.”