Marvel CEO's $1M donation to #Trump4Vets prompts reaction
Forbes reports 1% of Trump Foundation's donations go to veterans
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced at a fundraiser Thursday night that Marvel Entertainment CEO Ike Perlmutter would donate $1 million US to his charitable foundation, and comic book fans took to Twitter in reaction.
Trump held what his team called a "special event to benefit veterans' organizations" at Drake University in Iowa, near where the rest of the Republican front-runners held a debate hosted by Fox News.
Trump had boycotted the debate as a result of his escalating feud with the news channel.
In announcing the donation, Trump called Perlmutter, "one of the great, great men of our country in terms of business and talent."
A representative for Perlumtter said, "The Perlmutters are thrilled to support their friend Donald Trump in his efforts to help veterans," reported The Hollywood Reporter.
The New York Times reported that Perlmutter's wife, Laura, donated $2 million to Marco Rubio's campaign.
On Twitter, reaction to the announcement came quickly. The donation had its detractors, like filmmaker Michael Moore.
Trump announces head of Marvel Comics has written a million-dollar check for tonight's event. Will think about that next time I buy a ticket
—@MMFlintMarvel CEO Supports <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash">#Trump</a> Campaign Event as <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Marvel?src=hash">#Marvel</a> Editor Discourages Criticism <a href="https://t.co/hAidhNrMNL">https://t.co/hAidhNrMNL</a> <a href="https://t.co/5l4Mk2OTKK">pic.twitter.com/5l4Mk2OTKK</a>
—@TheOuthousersOh, Marvel. Bad move. You could have given it to them w/o Trump. Stop playing. Nope. Nope. <a href="https://t.co/paFDpdv0Bv">https://t.co/paFDpdv0Bv</a>
—@StilettoRoyaltyBut Trump supporters applauded the donation
Isaac Perlmutter, CEO of Marvel Entertainment donated $1,000,000 to Trump's Vet Event <a href="https://t.co/SaJGENRs1E">pic.twitter.com/SaJGENRs1E</a>
—@MargaretsBellyStill more reaction came Friday morning
So Marvel comics is on a big diversity push but their CEO just gave a million dollars to Trump.........................
—@peridotmatrixThe comics are all "hey here's diverse characters and some political commentary" but the CEO supports the mass deportation candidate?!
—@peridotmatrixSo Marvel's CEO donates a million to Trump. Tell me again how there's no money in comics.
—@BlackmudpuppyWhy is the CEO of Marvel supporting a super-villain?
—@docfreerideThe CEO of Marvel just gave Trump a million dollars. Excuse me while I go burn everything I own of theirs.
—@aurosanYou wonder why <a href="https://twitter.com/Marvel">@Marvel</a> is bad with representation? Their CEO donated a million to Trump. End of story. Resign.
—@petercoffinAs a Mexican American whose parents immigrated to the US from Mexico, I am very hurt to see Marvel's CEO donate $1,000,000 to Trump.
—@iglvzxJordan White, a writer for Marvel, replied to Michael Moore's tweet saying that a Marvel boycott would jeopardize the livelihoods of a lot of people
<a href="https://twitter.com/MMFlint">@MMFlint</a> Awww, that's not fair. A lot of people work for Marvel.
—@cracksh0t<a href="https://twitter.com/Thesixler">@Thesixler</a> Not buying a movie ticket because a CEO donated money to a veterans charity is not "heroic", it's pointless.
—@cracksh0tSupporters of Trump correctly pointed out that Perlmutter's donation was to the Donald Trump for Veterans cause, not to Trump's campaign
Leave it to liberals + <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash">#Trump</a> haters to be upset because <a href="https://twitter.com/Marvel">@Marvel</a> CEO donated $1M to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump4Vets?src=hash">#Trump4Vets</a>. I guess we know who supports our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vets?src=hash">#vets</a>.
—@Fit_MagnoliaHowever, the website donaldtrumpforvets.com, set up for the event, accepts donations not to a veterans' charity but to the Donald J. Trump Foundation, Trump's personal non-profit organization
A report in Forbes magazine in December found that about 1% of the foundation's contributions were to organizations that directly benefit military veterans.
The Donald J. Trump foundation donated $57K to veterans' organizations between 2009 & 2013, according to tax forms <a href="https://t.co/0JtOOsL8ER">https://t.co/0JtOOsL8ER</a>
—@Forbes