Trump Hotel Sale Consideration Tied to Claims of Conflicts
Trump Hotel Sale Consideration Tied to Claims of Conflicts
(Bloomberg) -- The Trump Organization’s decision to explore a sale of its Washington hotel stems from concern over claims of conflicts of interest related to international guests, according to Donald Trump Jr.
“It’s all international business, so we chose not to do that,” the president’s son told Fox News. “And then every time we do, we get another lawsuit about this and another lawsuit about -- it’s almost easier to just stay away from it, right?”
The Trump International Hotel has become a magnet for foreign dignitaries, state government officials and lobbyists, raising questions about whether President Donald Trump is profiting from people who spend money at hotels to curry favor with him. Trump has been the target of lawsuits and congressional scrutiny over whether he’s violating the U.S. Constitution’s so-called emoluments clause.
The Trump Organization has sought to counter criticism by donating profits from foreign leaders’ visits to the U.S. Treasury, which his critics say is an unenforceable commitment that doesn’t resolve the constitutional issue.
The organization has said it spent about $212 million to redevelop the historic Old Post Office, located a short walk down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, into the hotel. It leases the property from the federal government.
Separately, Trump Golf, an arm of the president’s business, announced on Twitter that it planned to expand its golf resort in Doonbeg, on the west coast of Ireland. “The development will include a new ballroom, pool, spa, leisure facilities, 235 additional resort rooms, gate house and much more,” the company said in the Twitter post on Wednesday afternoon.
Vice President Mike Pence came under scrutiny in early September after he stayed at Doonbeg, in County Clare, on an official visit to Ireland. Most of his meetings with Irish leaders took place in Dublin, about 125 miles away.
Pence told reporters that he wanted to spend at least one night in Doonbeg because he had family ties to the area.
“It’s a fairly small place and the opportunity to stay at the Trump National in Doonbeg, to accommodate the unique footprint that comes with our security detail and other personnel, made it logical,” Pence said. “We checked it with the State Department. They approved us staying there.”
Trump said he played no role in that decision, even though the vice president’s chief of staff, Marc Short, said the president had suggested staying at the property.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jennifer Jacobs in Washington at jjacobs68@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, John Harney, Chelsea Mes
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