Inaugural Committee Gave Over $25 Million to Melania’s Friend

An event-planning firm started by a longtime friend of first lady Melania Trump was paid close to $26 million by the Trump inaugural committee, which donated only $5 million to charity from its record $107 million haul in raised funds. Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who is an unpaid special adviser to the first lady and started WIS Media Partners, was paid $1.62 million for her work directly, according to The New York Times, which reported on the tax returns. The remaining funds that sent to her firm were “passed through to other vendors who provided goods or services on a subcontractor basis.” A spokeswoman for the first lady said Mrs. Trump “had no involvement” in the committee “and had no knowledge of how funds were spent.” Winston Wolkoff was reportedly not paid for her services as “a special government employee.”