President Trump Donates Portion of $400,000 Salary to ‘Emerging Leaders’ Vets Program

White House officials have released some interesting information from the residence of President Donald Trump: the president has made a rather significant donation. A sizeable portion of Trump’s alleged $400,000 annual salary is being redirected to a program for military veterans, offering business and entrepreneurial skills to the country’s ex-servicemen and women.

In keeping with President Trump’s own entrepreneurial background and his lifelong dedication to all things business, the “Emerging Leaders” initiative seems like a wonderfully intuitive target for the president’s generous donation. The White House confirmed that the figure would go to the United States Small Business Administration, who will oversee the program.

“Emerging Leaders,” as the name might suggest, will assist veterans in starting small businesses of their own after their military service is over. Many veterans need assistance in several areas of their lives after returning from military service: the transition back into “normal life” can be hugely disorienting, many ex-service people suffer post-traumatic stress, substance abuse is rife amongst those returning from service, and many veterans may even find that their previous credentials are increasingly less relevant in a world that has sped up significantly in their absence.

An entrepreneurial skills program for military veterans could be life changing.

Powerful moment – Member of United States Army told the President he came back into the military because of him. And President Trump responded, “And I am here because of you.” I met him after and he gave me the patch from his arm. Incredible. #TrumpTroopsVisit pic.twitter.com/WmQf3b2K8X

— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) December 26, 2018

President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS thanked Marines at the Marine Corps Barracks in Washington D.C and wished them a Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you to all of the @USMC for what you do! pic.twitter.com/qNLobIUKIQ

— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) November 15, 2018

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement: “The president continues to donate his salary on a quarterly basis to further important priorities. Today,” she continued, speaking in late 2018, “President Trump is proud to donate his 2018 second quarter salary to the Small Business Administration.”

In a press briefing covered by CNBC, Agency administrator Linda McMahon thanked the president for his support, graciously accepted the contribution, and assured that President Trump’s donation would be “put to good use.”

McMahon continued: “This is awesome. This money is going to be used in our veterans program. We are going to establish an intensive training program … helping [veterans] transition from military life into the private sector if they desire to start their own jobs and their own companies to be entrepreneurs.”

The “Emerging Leaders” program has been active since 2008. The program lasts for seven months and is currently offered in numerous cities, including Sacramento, Houston, and Washington, D.C. The entrepreneurial training offered for the owners (or potential owners) of small businesses is free of charge, and has already empowered over 5,000 military veterans.

Since President Trump ascended to office, he has directed a portion of his quarterly salary to several different government departments, including Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Health and Human Services, the National Park Service, and the Education department. Trump’s ambitions are far reaching and diverse. And his focus, in the latter quarter of 2018, was furthering entrepreneurial opportunities for deserving U.S. veterans.

McMahon knows that the cause is relevant to President Trump’s personal interests: “He clearly understands the value of small businesses,” she said.

What do you think about the donation of the president’s quarterly salary to the veterans program? Let us know in the comments below!