"After careful consideration, Cleveland Clinic has decided that it will not hold a Florida fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago in 2018," the hospital system said in a statement | M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO Cleveland Clinic, American Cancer Society pull fundraisers from Mar-a-Lago

The Cleveland Clinic and the American Cancer Society separately announced Thursday that they would not hold previously planned fundraising galas at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

"After careful consideration, Cleveland Clinic has decided that it will not hold a Florida fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago in 2018," the Cleveland Clinic said in a statement on Thursday. "We thank the staff of Mar-a-Lago for their service over the years."


The hospital network, one of a number of organizations with planned events in 2018 at the Florida resort, did not cite a specific reason for not holding the event at Mar-a-Lago.

But the decision comes amid increasing pressure on businesses to distance themselves from the Trump administration, especially after comments made by the president Tuesday that seemingly gave a boost to white nationalists. The Cleveland Clinic's CEO Toby Cosgrove was one of a slew of executives who decided Wednesday to disband a White House business advisory council.

The American Cancer Society, meanwhile, emphasized the group's commitment to diversity in a statement announcing that it would move its 2018 "Island of Palm Beach" gala and related dinner away from Mar-a-Lago.

"Our values and commitment to diversity are critical as we work to address the impact of cancer in every community," the American Cancer Society said. "It has become increasingly clear that the challenge to those values is outweighing other business considerations."

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The American Cancer Society said that it initially chose the venue based on a number of factors, "including costs and venue requirements."

Though Trump-owned properties such as the Trump International Hotel in Washington have seen an uptick in business since the election, several other non-profit organizations decided this year to pull events from the Florida club frequently visited by the president, citing concerns such as increased security, according to a Washington Post report.

