Trump Offers Grieving Military Father $25,000; Family Never Receives Check

Donald Trump called a grieving military dad and offered him $25,000. Trump also promised the father he’d have his staff create a fundraiser for the family. It was all great until Trump didn’t actually do it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Trump called Chris Baldridge’s Zebulon, N.C. home just a few weeks after the death of Baldridge’s 22-year-old son, Dillon Baldridge. Dillon Baldridge served as a sergeant in the army and was fatally shot, along with two other soldiers, by an Afghan police officer. 

Within their 15-minute conversation, Baldridge expressed his concern in regards to how his son was killed – he was shot by someone he was training.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

“I said, ‘Me and my wife would rather our son died in trench warfare,’ “Baldridge said. “I feel like he got murdered over there. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Trump’s seemingly generous offer of $25,000 to “Gold Star” families brings up the question of just how many families he’s contacted and actually sent money to. Gold Star families are relatives of U.S. military members who have died in battle. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

“He said, ‘I’m going to write you a check out of my personal account for $25,000,’ and I was just floored,” Baldridge said. “I could not believe he was saying that, and I wish I had it recorded because the man did say this. He said, ‘No other president has ever done something like this,’ but he said, ‘I’m going to do it.’ “⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

On Wednesday, The Washington Post called the White House to check in on the Baldridge account but officials denied to discuss the situation in complete detail. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Come to found out the only thing Trump sent was a letter with no check. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

“I opened it up and read it, and I was hoping to see a check in there, to be honest,” the father said. “I know it was kind of far-fetched thinking. But I was like, ‘Damn, no check.’ Just a letter saying ‘I’m sorry.’ “⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

And the Baldridge family isn’t the only one, other families have experienced Trump’s empty promises as well. Some never received a call nor a letter. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Euvince Brooks’s son, Sgt. Roshain E. Brooks, 30, was killed Aug. 13 in Iraq. Euvince Brooks is a member of one of the many families. Brooks now wants to learn how to tweet just so she can address dress Trump and his lies. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

“I said to my daughter, ‘Can you teach me to tweet, so I can tweet at the president and tell him he’s a liar?'” he said. “You know when you hear people lying, and you want to fight? That’s the way I feel last night. He’s a damn liar.”

Even with proof and statements from families, Trump and White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters deny the claims.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Walters said in a statement Wednesday: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

“The check has been sent. 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.”