Donald Trump’s former White House aide is under fire after a video showed him claiming to distribute fake money to homeless people so that they will be arrested when they spend it.

Johnny McEntee, formerly the White House Presidential Personnel Office under the former president, posted a video on TikTok in which he discusses the purported scheme to “clean up the community.”

“So I always keep this fake Hollywood money in my car, so when a homeless person asks for money, and I give them like a $5 bill, I feel good about myself, they feel good,” said McEntee, also a senior advisor to Project 2025. “And then when they go to use it, they get arrested, so I’m actually helping to clean up the community and get them off the street.”

  • Flying Squid
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    47 months ago

    It can if you try to pass it off as real money.

    • @[email protected]
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      -77 months ago

      someone would have to prove you did it on purpose knowing it was fake, and that requires getting arrested and charged in the first place and making it all the way to court

      • @[email protected]
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        7 months ago

        You mean like making a video where you say you are hoping people will try to use it as legal tender, and are distributing it for that express purpose?

          • @[email protected]
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            7 months ago

            Uh, distributing known fake bills that you intend people to use as legal tender? Is this a trick question?

            Edit: you will probably have the same response here as elsewhere.

      • Flying Squid
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        57 months ago

        Or you just admit it like this moron in the article.

        • @[email protected]
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          -87 months ago

          admit what? handing people prop money? there’s nothing illegal with that or even proof he actually did it. not trying to defend anyone but just saying. these strawmen are a bit silly IMO

          • Flying Squid
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            67 months ago

            I’m not sure why you missed this quote, but apparently you did:

            “So I always keep this fake Hollywood money in my car, so when a homeless person asks for money, and I give them like a $5 bill, I feel good about myself, they feel good,” said McEntee, also a senior advisor to Project 2025. “And then when they go to use it, they get arrested, so I’m actually helping to clean up the community and get them off the street.”

            He is blatantly admitting passing off fake money as real money.

            • @[email protected]
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              -77 months ago

              “passing off” implies trying to spend it yourself, knowing it’s fake. which isn’t happening here.

              • Flying Squid
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                67 months ago

                I’m not sure why you think giving money to a homeless person isn’t spending it, but it is.