Donald Trump finally sends $25,000 cheque to father of dead soldier after failing to pay up

President Donald Trump has finally sent the cheque (Picture: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Donald Trump has finally sent the cheque (Picture: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Donald Trump has sent a cheque for $25,000 to the father of a dead US Army Sergeant, after initially failing to pay out after making the offer.

Chris Baldridge was promised the sum by the President after his 22-year-old son Dillon was killed by an Afghan police officer in June.

“He said, ‘I’m going to write you a cheque out of my personal account for $25,000’, and I was just floored,” Mr Baldridge explained to the Washington Post.

“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’.”

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But Mr Baldridge was left disappointed after later receiving a letter of condolence and no cheque, as promised.

Now, a White House spokeswoman has confirmed that the cheque is being sent and accused the media of following a ‘biased agenda’ by following up on the story.

Chris Baldridge and late son Dillon (Picture: Facebook)
Chris Baldridge and late son Dillon (Picture: Facebook)

‘The cheque has been sent’, spokesperson Lindsay Walters confirmed.

‘It’s disgusting that the media is taking something that should be recognised as a generous and sincere gesture, made privately by the President, and using it to advance the media’s biased agenda.’

The clarification comes only a day after it was claimed that President Trump told the widow of a dead Green Beret soldier that her husband was well aware of the risks involved in the role.

According to Democrat representative Frederica Wilson, the callous comments were made as she listened to part of the US president’s call with the grieving woman on speaker phone while she was with the family in a car.

Ms Wilson said: ‘Basically he said, “Well, I guess he knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt”.’