Marines in viral photo were at veteran suicide fundraiser, not Trump event | Fact check

The claim: Marines broke DOD rule by attending Trump fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago

An April 13 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shared by liberal commentator Brian Tyler Cohen shows four uniformed soldiers standing between Ivanka Trump and two other women.

"Uniformed Marines at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago fundraiser last night," reads the post's caption. "This is a violation of DoD Directive 1344.10."

The post garnered more than 600 shares in three days. Other versions of the claim were shared on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter.

Some social media users also claimed the men in the photo were impersonating Marines.

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Our rating: False

The Marines attended a fundraising event for a nonpartisan veteran suicide prevention group. Former President Donald Trump is not affiliated with the nonprofit and did not attend the Mar-a-Lago event.

Event hosted by nonpartisan charity, not Trump

The Department of Defense directive referenced in Cohen's post prohibits active duty members from engaging in any "partisan political activity." Servicemen are permitted to attend partisan events as spectators but must be out of uniform to avoid the implication that such events are officially sponsored, approved or endorsed by the Department of Defense, it says.

The Marines said in an April 13 post on X that the Mar-a-Lago event was not a political event, however:

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Cary Reichbach, board president and founder of the Grey Team, told USA TODAY the organization has no affiliation with Trump. He said the nonprofit is neither Republican nor Democratic and cannot donate to any political campaigns as a 501(c)(3) organization.

Reichbach said the nonprofit helps active and veteran servicemembers with suicide prevention regardless of their age, military branch or political leaning and chooses venues based on their support of the military. He said the same servicemen attended a similar gala hosted by the organization the week before at the Boca Raton Resort, which is owned by a company affiliated with Michael Dell. Dell has historically donated to both Democratic and Republican political candidates, according to the nonpartisan research group Open Secrets.

Trump is not listed as a board member on the nonprofit's website, and none of the Grey Team's social media posts about the Mar-a-Lago fundraiser make any mention of the former president.

It's not unusual for nonpartisan events to be hosted at Mar-a-Lago, despite it being owned by Trump, as it offers bookings for weddings, galas and private parties, according to its website. Many other charities have held fundraising galas at the country club in the past, such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army.

USA TODAY reached out to Cohen for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

• Cary Reichbach, April 15, Phone call with USA TODAY

• U.S. Marines, April 13, X post

• Department of Defense, Oct. 9, 2008, Directive: Number 1344.10

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No rule violated by Marines at Mar-a-Lago fundraiser | Fact check