Poli Alert Political & Civics
Related Articles
Jimmy Williams
A report released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee states that former President Donald Trump received at least $7.8 million in payments from twenty foreign governments during his tenure in the White House.
The report highlights that China was the leading contributor, providing over $5.5 million to Trump-owned properties. Other countries making payments include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, India, and Afghanistan.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, asserts that these payments violate the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause, which prohibits the president from accepting money or gifts from foreign governments without congressional consent. Raskin emphasizes that the $7.8 million is likely a fraction of Trump’s overall foreign earnings and calls it a scandal that demands action.
Payments were directed to Trump’s properties, including hotels in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, and New York City. The report suggests a correlation between foreign spending on Trump’s properties and policy decisions made by the former president, potentially influencing foreign policy agendas with broader implications for the United States.
The report said “these countries spent — often lavishly — on apartments and hotel stays at Donald Trump’s properties — personally enriching President Trump while he made foreign policy decisions connected to their policy agendas with far-reaching ramifications for the United States.”
The report delves into specific instances, revealing that Saudi Arabia and its royal family spent a minimum of $615,400 at Trump properties during his administration. This revelation is especially noteworthy considering that, during the same period, Trump signed an arms deal with Saudi Arabia worth more than $100 billion. The juxtaposition of these financial transactions and policy decisions underscores concerns about the potential intertwining of business interests and foreign policy.
The committee obtained the information from documents provided by Mazars, Trump’s former accounting firm, after years of legal battles. Despite the records being incomplete, Democrats argue that they shed light on the financial dealings of some of Trump’s businesses. The report criticizes the hurdles faced in acquiring these records, citing actions by the committee chairman and significant gaps in the records possessed by Mazars.
