EXCLUSIVE: Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as Small Business Administration (SBA) administrator, plans to donate her entire federal salary to charity, Fox News Digital has learned.
Loeffler, a prominent business executive and philanthropist who served as a senator from Georgia for two years, goes in front of the Senate’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee on Wednesday for her confirmation hearing.
If confirmed, Loeffler says she would donate her annual federal pay of approximately $207,500 to charity.
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Small Business Administration nominee Kelly Loeffler arrives for a meeting with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, at his office on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
The pledge by Loeffler, whose net worth is estimated at roughly $1 billion, follows her actions in Congress from 2019 to 2021, when she donated her Senate salary of $174,000 per year to over 40 Georgia charities and nonprofits.
Among those included were food banks, faith groups and organizations opposed to abortion, foster care/adoption groups as well as organizations promoting health care, agriculture, education, law enforcement, and disaster relief.
Loeffler also donated $1 million to Phoebe Putney Hospital in Albany at the height of the pandemic, when the city in Southwest Georgia was one of the hardest hit in the nation.
Then-Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler speaks during a campaign event at Valdosta Regional Airport in Valdosta, Georgia, Dec. 5, 2020. (Reuters/Dustin Chambers)
Loeffler, who hails from a family of small business owners and entrepreneurs, was raised working on the family farm in Illinois. After becoming the first in her family to graduate college, she spent nearly three decades working her way up in the private sector.
Along with her husband Jeff, Loeffler built a Fortune 500 financial services and technology company from 100 employees to 15,000. Loeffler later launched another company, named Bakkt, as its founding CEO and first employee. She was also a part owner of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream.
Loeffler and her husband have long been major donors to Republican causes and and candidates, including Trump. Loeffler served as co-chair of the president-elect’s inaugural committee.
President Donald Trump and Sen. Kelly Loeffler attend a campaign rally at Dalton Regional Airport on Jan. 4, 2021, in Dalton, Georgia. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“Like President Trump, Senator Loeffler left behind a successful career in the private sector to advance the America First agenda. Should she be confirmed, she will continue the practice of donating her federal salary to charities and nonprofits across the country – and put her full focus on working to make the Small Business Administration a gateway to the American Dream for entrepreneurs across the country,” Loeffler spokeswoman Caitlin O’Dea told Fox News.
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While successful in the business world, Loeffler was not well known until becoming a politician.
After GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson resigned from the Senate at the end of 2019 due to his deteriorating health, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia appointed Loeffler to fill Isakson’s unexpired term until the next regular election.
Loeffler narrowly lost to Democrat Raphael Warnock in a runoff election in January 2021, after no candidate topped 50% of the vote in a crowded field of contenders in the November 2020 Senate election.
Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.
In a groundbreaking move, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, Kelly Loeffler, has pledged to donate her entire salary to charity if confirmed. This unprecedented gesture of generosity has already garnered praise from both sides of the aisle, with many commending Loeffler for putting the needs of others before her own financial gain.
If confirmed, Loeffler would be the first Cabinet member in history to forgo their salary in favor of charitable giving. This selfless act is a testament to Loeffler’s commitment to public service and her dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of others.
In a statement released earlier today, Loeffler expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to serve in the Trump administration and her desire to use her position to help those in need. She stated, “I am honored to have been nominated for this important role, and I am committed to using this platform to make a difference in the lives of others. By donating my salary to charity, I hope to inspire others to give back and make a difference in their communities.”
This pledge comes at a time when many Americans are struggling due to the ongoing pandemic and economic downturn. Loeffler’s decision to donate her salary is a powerful reminder that even in the face of adversity, there are still those who are willing to step up and make a difference.
As Loeffler’s confirmation hearings are set to begin next week, all eyes will be on Capitol Hill to see if she will indeed be the first Cabinet member to donate their salary to charity. If confirmed, Loeffler’s unprecedented gesture could set a new standard for public service and inspire others to follow in her footsteps.
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