(JTA) — Nine charities have canceled planned galas at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, including the American Friends of Magen David Adom.
AFMDA, the U.S. fundraising arm of the Israeli Red Cross organization, announced the cancellation of its benefit gala in a statement provided to Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold on Thursday.
“After considerable deliberation, AFMDA – an apolitical and humanitarian aid organization – will not hold its 2018 Palm Beach Celebration of Life Gala at Mar-a-Lago,” the statement said.
Some of the groups that canceled their events cited Trump’s response to the far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the reason for canceling. In other cases, groups said the venue was detracting from the message of their events.
The club makes $100,000 to $275,000 for such events, Fahrenthold reported for the Washington Post.
There had been 16 galas or dinner events scheduled for the winter season at the resort before the cancellations. At least three other groups canceled charity luncheons in the last week as well, according to the Washington Post.
Trump has frequently made weekend visits to the resort since becoming president.
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