WASHINGTON (AP) – The American Red Cross may have to contend with the elephant in the room – and protesters outside – when it holds its annual fundraiser this weekend at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
Demonstrators are planning to rally outside the tony resort Saturday, drawing attention to the worldwide humanitarian relief group’s somewhat awkward choice of venue. The event comes as the Red Cross is offering aid to those affected by Trump’s moratorium on the U.S. refugee program.
It’s not clear whether the president will attend the charity ball, which benefits the American Red Cross. Trump plans to be at the Palm Beach, Florida, resort this weekend, though his aides won’t yet give details about his schedule.
Red Cross spokeswoman Elizabeth Penniman said the group takes no position on the executive order and strives to remain politically neutral. Penniman declined to say whether the organization has mixed feelings about the location of the white tie gala.
Trump signed an executive order Friday that suspended the country’s refugee program for four months, stopped indefinitely the issuance of all visas to Syrians and halted for three months travel and immigration from a half-dozen other countries. The order caused confusion at airports, sparked protests and led to some U.S. residents being briefly detained.