Dan Savage raises $100,000 by selling 'Impeach Trump' merchandise

The columnist is donating the funds to organisations doing work to counter Donald Trump's policies

Columnist Dan Savage raised money by selling merchandise featuring the acronym ITMFA, in support of impeaching President Donald Trump (Via @itmfagram @antitrumppups Instagram)

Dan Savage, an LGBT activist and writer of the syndicated sex advice column "Savage Love," has raised $100,000 (£78,000) for organisations doing work in opposition to Donald Trump's policies by selling an apparel line based on Mr Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan.

Mr Savage sold hats, t-shirts, buttons, stickers, coffee cups, and other items emblazoned with the acronym "ITMFA," or Impeach the Motherf***** Already.

He announced on his Instagram account that he had "the distinct pleasure" to mail checques to Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), each to receive approximately $33,000 (£26,000).

Mr Savage said chose those groups because they are "three critically important and hugely effective organisations fighting Donald Trump."

Mr Trump has been criticised for his stance on denying women abortion rights and wanting to end federal funding to Planned Parenthood based on that, though only about three per cent of the services the nationwide network of women's health clinics are abortion-related.

The ACLU was active in the wake of Mr Trump's travel ban on people from entering the US from seven majority-Muslim countries by providing legal representation to travellers in airports around the country, joining the thousands of protesters against the ban. The organisation also filed motions in federal courts to have the ban stopped from being enforced by customs and immigration officers.

Mr Trump has also been vocal in his view that the US should not take in refugees, primarily from Muslim-majority Syria but also Central American countries where gang and drug violence has led many to flee to the US. IRAP also provided legal aid to those affected by the travel ban as well as advocating for policies that protect refugees and displaced persons' human rights.

Originally launched in 2006 as a means to protest then-President George W Bush, Mr Savage resurrected the group and line of merchandise just four days after Mr Trump took office.

He wrote then, “I didn’t think I’d see a worse president than George W. Bush in my lifetime. But here we are”.

Mr Savage plans on raising another $100,000 (£78,000) to make more donations to the three organisations.