Donald Trump said Thursday that he raised more than $6 million for veterans groups at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa that he held instead of participating in that night's GOP debate on Fox News. Trump said that he pulled in the majority of funds from big donors -- including a $1 million contribution of his own -- and another $500,000 via his website, according to CNN.
"Our Veterans have been treated like third-class citizens and it is my great honor to support them with this $1 million dollar contribution -- they are truly incredible people," Trump said in a statement. "We are going to strengthen our military, take care of our Vets and Make America Great Again." Trump listed 22 organizations that will be the recipients of the funds raised Thursday evening.
The event was held at the same time as the GOP debate, which is seen as a dig at Fox News. Trump and network executives have been feuding since the first debate in August in which the real estate mogul and host Megyn Kelly exchanged barbs.
However, Trump noted that he would have preferred to be at the debate. "I didn't want to be here, I have to be honest," Trump said as he kicked off the event at Drake University, according to The Hill. "I wanted to be about five minutes away [at the GOP debate] ... but you have to stick up for your rights. When you're treated badly, you have to stick up to your rights ... and it's something our country needs to do."
Trump was also joined by GOP presidential rivals Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, who were a part of the earlier undercard debate.
"Let me be very clear," Huckabee said, according to Vox. "Rick Santorum, Donald Trump and I may be competitors in a presidential race, but tonight we are colleagues in unison standing here for the ... veterans of the United States of America. The easy thing for him to do is to ignore that anyone else cares about our vets. ... It says something about him that he'd bring us here."
