The White House appears to claim Trump will actually host the 2020 G-7 summit at his Doral golf club
President Trump spoke several times and at length on Monday about how he wants to host next year's Group of Seven summit at the financially underperforming Doral golf club he owns and he still profits from, and now the White House is spinning that rampant conflict of interests as a fait accompli.
"It’s ethics violation squared," Kathleen Clark at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis told The Associated Press. Nevertheless, AP notes, Trump "was in full sales mode Monday, doing everything but pass out brochures as he touted the features that would make the Doral golf resort the ideal place for the next G-7 Summit — close to the airport, plenty of hotel rooms," and even ample parking.
Parking? "Trump touted his club as if he were trying to attract a convention of visiting dermatologists," The Washington Post adds. Along with the legal and ethical red flags, Trump is trying to pitch "a golf club set among drab office parks near the Miami airport" as the perfect spot for a G-7 summit, usually held in scenic, isolated resort areas like Biarritz, France — or Camp David and a Georgia resort island, the locations of the past two U.S.-hosted summits.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
George Washington University political scientist Todd Belt explained to AP how a Doral G-7 summit would almost certainly violate the Constitution's emoluments clause, or prohibition against presidents profiting from their decisions, and he predicted that White House lawyers or other staffers would talk Trump out of it.
Some aides, "concerned that Trump would appear to be using the power of the presidency to direct taxpayer money into his own pockets," have "pushed Trump to consider other sites for the 2020 summit that are more remote and easier to secure," the Post reports. "He was not convinced, aides said."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Amanemu: an ultra-luxury onsen retreat in Japan's Ise-Shima National Park
The Week Recommends Soak in blissful private solitude among pine-cloaked hills and steamy hot springs
By Scott Campbell Published
-
Today's political cartoons - December 23, 2024
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - immigrant jobs, crypto scams, and more
By The Week US Published
-
A foodie's tour of Louisiana
The Week Recommends The state's hedonistic spirit is reflected in its celebration of good food
By Natasha Langan Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published