Donald Trump Says His Money Drew Hillary Clinton to His Wedding
"She had no choice because I gave to a foundation," the Donald said.
— -- Donald Trump’s millions have snagged him favors from several prominent politicians -– including Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, he said tonight.
“Hillary Clinton, I said be at my wedding, and she came to my wedding," the reality-star-turned-politician said at the first GOP presidential debate in Cleveland. "She had no choice because I gave to a foundation.”
Then-Sen. Hillary Clinton was present at Trump’s 2005 wedding to model Melania Knauss -– and Clinton and her husband attended the reception together.
Just this week, Trump came under fire for a private telephone conversation with President Bill Clinton that took place just weeks before Trump announced his candidacy.
“I gave to many people before this,” Trump said at the debate today. “When they call, I give. And you know what, when I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them. They are there for me.”
His comments came in response to an attack from rival Sen. Rand Paul.
“You've donated to several Democratic candidates. You explained away those donations saying you did that to get business-related affairs,” Paul said. “And you said recently, quote, ‘when you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do.’”
“You better believe it,” Trump responded.
The Clinton campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri said Trump's comment "hurts [Sec. Clinton's] feelings."
"He invited her. They’re acquaintances. This is long, long established," she said. "It hurt her feelings, I’m sure, to hear him suggest that he didn’t actually want her there for her company.”