'I have totally terminated the loan!': Donald Trump rips 'very dishonest' NBC in Twitter rant
Donald Trump ripped NBC News in a Twitter rant on Thursday after the outlet published a report earlier in the day suggesting that he won't release proof that he forgave nearly $50 million in personal loans he made to his campaign.
"The very dishonest @NBCNews refuses to accept the fact that I have forgiven my $50 million loan to my campaign," he posted. "Done deal!"
"I have self funded my winning primary campaign with an approx. $50 million loan," he subsequently tweeted. "I have totally terminated the loan!"
"The reason I put up approximately $50 million for my successful primary campaign is very simple, I want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" he posted in a third tweet.
In the Thursday report, NBC News found that the Federal Election Commission posted no record of Trump converting the more than $45 million in loans into donations. The Trump campaign declined requests from NBC News to share legal paperwork required for the transaction, although it told the outlet that it was submitted.
Trump announced last week that he forgave the personal loans he made to his campaign.
According to the NBC News report:
"Last week, campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks said Trump was submitting formal paperwork forgiving the loan on Thursday, according to the Wall Street Journal.
"Reached by NBC this week, she said the paperwork 'will be filed with the next regularly scheduled FEC report,' and declined to provide any documentation.
"The delay could matter, because until Trump formally forgives the loans, he maintains the legal option to use new donations to reimburse himself. (He can do so until August, under federal law.)"