--- title: Obama Declines Ice Bucket Challenge, Donates Money Instead description: He'll donate cold, hard cash instead canonical: https://time.com/3104483/obama-declines-ice-bucket-challenge/ author: Laura Stampler article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-08-12T19:31:32.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:48:41.726Z article:section: Politics og:title: Obama politely declines pouring ice water over his body for charity og:description: He'll donate cold, hard cash instead og:url: https://time.com/3104483/obama-declines-ice-bucket-challenge/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc28f1624f8786754/69869f45169ab049fb27ab2f/453034980.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: President Obama Makes A Statement og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama politely declines pouring ice water over his body for charity twitter:description: He'll donate cold, hard cash instead twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc28f1624f8786754/69869f45169ab049fb27ab2f/453034980.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Obama Declines Ice Bucket Challenge ## Video: It’ll Be A Cold Day: The Ice Bucket Challenge [Watch (HLS stream): It’ll Be A Cold Day: The Ice Bucket Challenge](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/GIHofBBD.m3u8) (1:33)  _Published 2014-08-11. If you’ve seen people all over your newsfeed dumping buckets of ice water on themselves, you’re not alone. The Ice Bucket Challenge is ironically one of the hottest things on social media as it tries to raise money for ALS charities._ by [Laura Stampler](https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/) ## Laura Stampler Aug 12, 2014 7:31 PM UTC  U.S. President Barack Obama U.S. President Barack ObamaChip Somodevilla—Getty Images by [Laura Stampler](https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/) ## Laura Stampler Aug 12, 2014 7:31 PM UTC Presidents, they’re just like us! Just like everyone you’ve ever Facebook friended, President Obama has formally been invited, by Ethel Kennedy no less, to [dump a bucket of ice over his head](http://time.com/3100272/als-ice-bucket-challenge/) to raise attention for Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as ALS. While the 86-year-old Kennedy matriarch had the strength of will to[ take the challenge](http://time.com/3101139/ethel-kennedy-obama-als-ice-bucket/), Obama has officially declined the ice and instead is offering cold, hard cash. “The President appreciates Mrs. Kennedy thinking of him for the challenge — though his contribution to this effort will be monetary,” said White House spokesperson Eric Shutlz. Obama has promised to make a donation to an ALS charity this week. Since the Ice Bucket Challenge kicked off July 29, the national ALS Association has[ raised](http://time.com/3101166/als-ice-bucket-challenge-fundraising/) $2.3 million, including $1 million raised since Monday afternoon. _With reporting by Zeke J. 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