Trump to shut charitable foundation

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump will dissolve his charitable foundation – which acknowledged breaking federal rules on "self-dealing" last year – once an investigation concludes, US media reported Monday.
In Dec, Trump vowed to shutter the organisation to avoid any conflicts of interest, after it was found to have made a political contribution, settled legal conflicts, purchased a large portrait of the president and engaged in other questionable practices.
In a new tax filing, the foundation announced its intent to close down, and is seeking approval to distribute the funds remaining in its coffers, NBC News reported.
The Washington Post said one of Trump's golf courses repaid more than US$158,000(RM654,594) to the foundation for funds used to settle a lawsuit against the club.
The foundation, with assets of under US$1 million, "looks forward to distributing its remaining assets at the earliest possible time to aid numerous worthy charitable organisations," a spokesman told NBC News.
The move will come once the New York attorney general's charities division wraps up its probe.
In a 2015 tax filing, the foundation acknowledged violating a legal prohibition against a "self-dealing" that bars nonprofit leaders from funneling their charity's money to themselves, their businesses or their families.
The case, dating back to 2010, involved Trump using money from the charity to settle a lawsuit filed by a man unable to claim a million-dollar golf prize. — AFP