Donald Trump's announcement is an offer to donate $5 million to any charity of Barack Obama's choice if Obama will release his college records and application and his passport application.
Caveat: Records must be released by Obama by October 31, 2012 for the donation to be given to Obama's charity of choice.
[WATCH]
The press release will be posted here when it is released.
[Update] Trump released the statement via his Facebook page, HERE.
Text of the release:
New York, October 24, 2012- President Obama is the least transparent President in the history of this country. Sadly, we know very little about a large portion of our President's life and, in fact he has spent millions of dollars in legal fees to make sure it stays that way. I am honored to have gotten President Obama to release his long form birth certificate or whatever it was that he released. This was something that neither John McCain nor Hillary Clinton were able to get him to do during their very long and bitter political campaigns despite the fact that they were strong in demanding it's release (nobody knows why he would not do it). Many Americans have serious questions--- questions that should not be part of the presidential dialogue. Over the course of the last year, millions of people have contacted me via my social media pages (Twitter.com/realDonaldTrump, Facebook.com/DonaldTrump) seeking my assistance to have this extremely important issue settled once and for all. While they may have the thought and concern, they feel they lack the ability to get this done. Essentially, a large portion of American people are asking me to serve as their spokesperson.
It is for this reason that I have a deal for the President--- a deal that I do not believe he can refuse. If Barack Obama agrees (or has the universities or colleges agree) to give all of his college records and applications and if he provides all of his passport records and applications, I will give to a charity of his choice (inner city children in Chicago, American Cancer Society, AIDS research, etc) a check for five million dollars. The check will be given immediately after he releases the records so stated, or causes said records to be released. If he chooses to do this, he will be doing a great service not only to the charity, but also a great service to the country and indeed, himself.
If he releases these records it will end the question, and indeed the anger, of many Americans. Their President will become transparent like other Presidents. So all he has to do to collect five million dollars for a charity of his choice, is get his universities and colleges to immediately give his complete applications and records and also to release his passport information. When he does that to my satisfaction , and if it's complete, the check will be delivered immediately. A lot of people will be very, very happy to see this happen.
Frankly, it's a check hat I very much want to write. I absolutely would be the most happy of all if I did, in fact, make this contribution through the President to a charity of his choice. One caveat--- the records must be given by October 31st, at 5pm in the afternoon.
So, Mr. President, not only will I be happy, and totally satisfied, but the American people will be happy and the selected charity will be very, very happy. Thank you Mr. President.
End statement
(Note from Susan - Any mistakes in the transcription are mine)
[Updated PS] Perhaps Trump should offer that same $5 million, publicly, to anyone else that can obtain the requested info if Obama chooses to refuse Trumps offer. (Which of course he will)
[Update] CBS 6 reports on Trump's deal then offers a poll asking why you think Donald Trump so deliberately staged this announcement and wager. The choices are 1) Blackmail, 2) Self-promotion, 3) Trump card and 4) Forced hand.
The blackmail option is inappropriate the legal definition of blackmail is a "crime involving a threat for purposes of compelling a person to do an act against his or her will, or for purposes of taking the person's money or property."
Trump threatened nothing and no one, therefore CBS 6, should remove that option from their poll.