Trump businesses received $7.8 million in payments from foreign governments and officials during presidency

[iluvatar5150]

I am still flabbergasted how our government enabled Donald Trump to defy the Emoluments Clause. This brazen abuse of power put America's security at risk. Donald Trump straight up accepted foreign gifts during his stint as COC. Congress never granted Donald Trump permission to accept these gifts, and he never bothered to ask. Our constitution doesn't allow this behavior from elected officials. Voters need to wake up in America. We need serious turnover in congress if we expect our government to function properly again. Maybe some Americans don't want government to work properly because others might be granted the same privileges they receive. People are certainly strange and voting proclivities seem stranger yet.

What's to wake up? It's the voters who are the main problem. People choose Trump because they like him and his brand of corruption. If they had a problem with him, they would hold him accountable. But they don't. Therefore, neither does the rest of the Republican establishment.

I'm reluctant to throw around the "F-word," but this is how fascism often starts - via democracy.

 

[Brihaha]

What's to wake up? It's the voters who are the main problem. People choose Trump because they like him and his brand of corruption. If they had a problem with him, they would hold him accountable. But they don't. Therefore, neither does the rest of the Republican establishment.

I'm reluctant to throw around the "F-word," but this is how fascism often starts - via democracy.

That's why it would behoove America if voters wake up. Trump is not a benefit to America. Fascism is not a benefit for America. Voting for letters doesn't benefit us citizens. Democracy has given Americans years of freedom. Our system is tried and truly successful. Then an immature personality invades our collective peace and declares "those people are human scum" or "enemies of the people". We are not enemies to each other in America. People who hold different views are not human scum. Voters have been the source for much of America's self inflicted misery and they are simply too obstinate to acknowledge their own role. I hope they wake up from their delusions and fantasies before America is destroyed by domestic ignorance and tribalism. We certainly don't benefit from electing criminals or incompetents into the presidency. Donald Trump is both.

 

[Truth7t7]

We certainly don't benefit from electing criminals or incompetents into the presidency.

I Agree 100% and Joe Biden and his son Hunter are both

 

[Brihaha]

I Agree 100% and Joe Biden and his son Hunter are both

Maybe someone else will be our next president, hopefully for the first time. We only deserve a good leader if we elect one.

 

[Larniavc]

Well, yeah - but aside from them, which people were funneling money to the president by renting his properties?

My understanding was he was gouging the Secret Service who had no choice but to stay in his properties.

 

[Larniavc]

If they had a problem with him, they would hold him accountable.

Many people unfortunately will let themselves be dictated to if it means the ‘others’ can be taught their place.

 

[Larniavc]

I Agree 100% and Joe Biden and his son Hunter are both

Evidence please.

 

[DaisyDay]

My understanding was he was gouging the Secret Service who had no choice but to stay in his properties.

Yes, but ASIDE FROM THE SS...which wasn't illegal. The president can receive payments from the US government, but not from foreign countries.

 

[DaisyDay]

When politicians talk about putting their assets in a trust, they're usually referring to a "blind trust" that's managed by somebody not close to the politician, and where the assets within it aren't visible to the politician (so they can't knowingly make policy that enriches themselves). Better politicians would liquidate their original assets first, so all they put into the trust is cash.

That's not what Trump did. Trump put his original assets into a trust run by his son and CFO. He knew what assets were in there and, even though he allegedly didn't have control over them, he did wield influence over the people managing them.

It was put into a revocable trust (meaning that it can be revoked at any time by the owner) with DJT the sole beneficiary.

Hotels keep these records. I'm not going to dig it up now, but I believe the law states that federal officials have to disclose income received from foreign sources (including through legitimate business dealings) and IIRC, Trump's businesses have disclosed that revenue.

The President is not allowed to keep money from foreign countries' representatives over a certain ($10? $50?) value because of the emoluments clause. Trump did "donate" some of it but we don't really know if the accounting was complete. It seems like this is new information in the OP, not previously disclosed.

 

[NxNW]

I Agree 100% and Joe Biden and his son Hunter are both

I haven't seen any evidence to support that claim.

 

[KCfromNC]

I Agree 100% and Joe Biden and his son Hunter are both

If they're both totally incompetent yet still smart enough to outwit GOP investigators, perhaps we have an answer to why the majority of voters vote against the GOP?

 

[Ana the Ist]

During Donald Trump’s presidency, his businesses received at least $7.8 million in payments from the foreign governments and officials of 20 countries, including China, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, according to a report released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.

The report argues that the payments were in violation of the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause [but SCOTUS] in 2021 said the cases were moot because Trump no longer held office.

When Republicans took control of the House in 2023, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) ended the congressional investigation into Trump’s alleged violations of the emoluments clause. He also declined to enforce a court-ordered agreement that Mazars USA, Trump’s former accounting firm, produce evidence related to Trump’s financial dealings.

According to information available to committee investigators, China made the largest total payments — $5.5 million — to Trump’s private businesses. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), one of China’s biggest state-owned banks, was among Trump Tower’s largest office tenants during the Trump presidency. The report notes that during Trump’s first year in the White House, several Chinese banks — including ICBC — came under scrutiny for financial ties to North Korea, causing the administration to weigh sanctions against them. [Ultimately, the Trump Administration did not take any action against ICBC]

Among the actions the report urges Congress to consider are a requirement that senior executive officials disclose to Congress receipt of any foreign emoluments, and an “explicit procedure for presidents and senior officials to seek the requisite congressional authorization for the receipt and retention of emoluments.” The report also recommends Congress implement a process for disclosing payments to entities in which a sitting president has a financial interest by foreign officials and lobbyists acting on behalf of foreign governments.

Are these Trump's businesses doing business?

Or are they simply shell companies taking money for nothing but influence in the presidency?

 

[iluvatar5150]

Are these Trump's businesses doing business?

Or are they simply shell companies taking money for nothing but influence in the presidency?

I'm not going to dig up the numbers now, but I seem to recall business at his DC Post Office hotel drying up after he left office, with the implication being that booking lodging there was seen as a way of potentially currying favor.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I'm reluctant to throw around the "F-word," but this is how fascism often starts - via democracy.

I don't know what sort of fascism you're thinking of....but I don't know what you're suggesting here....

That we should....stop democracy to prevent fascism?

I tend to see the repression of free speech as the first requisite step of fascism....alongside the scapegoating of a group for all of the social ills a society. It encourages everyone to get involved in solving the problem of these scapegoats...and leans heavily on the idea of "social justice" to do so. In these aspects...fascism and marxist revolution have much in common. The main difference I suppose is the characterization of the scapegoats.

Under fascism...an odd sort of paradox of both weakness and terrible strength exists in the scapegoat. They're both lazy, dumb, and corrupt....yet powerful, crafty, and extremely capable.

In communism...it's a roving target...as unfortunately, the need for a scapegoat for failure never disappears. It almost always starts with the wealthy, powerful, or those who hold any authority. Then it's supposed traitors...anyone who thinks differently. Then it's your own comrades...for being insufficiently dedicated. By that point of course, it's an indescribable state of constant terror of being accused....because guilt is assumed...and no past conduct nor present position can save anyone from "justice".


Regardless, Democracies have resulted in both but don't seem to be a prerequisite of either.

 

[Ana the Ist]

View attachment 342241

I'm not going to dig up the numbers now, but I seem to recall business at his DC Post Office hotel drying up after he left office, with the implication being that booking lodging there was seen as a way of potentially currying favor.

Well you do see the difference, don't you?

One exists independently of the business owners' ability to hold political offices.

 

[iluvatar5150]

I don't know what sort of fascism you're thinking of....but I don't know what you're suggesting here....

That we should....stop democracy to prevent fascism?

I'm merely suggesting that @Brihaha, to whom I was replying, ought not be "flabbergasted" at how many people support Trump and his behavior, since many leaders, far worse than him, assumed power via free elections. Contemporary Republicans would hardly be the first voting bloc to sign off on such things.

 

[Ana the Ist]

I'm merely suggesting that @Brihaha, to whom I was replying, ought not be "flabbergasted" at how many people support Trump and his behavior, since many leaders, far worse than him, assumed power via free elections. Contemporary Republicans would hardly be the first voting bloc to sign off on such things.

Ahhh...not so much a problem of democracy but the people voting.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Ahhh...not so much a problem of democracy but the people voting.

That’s usually the problem with democracy, isn’t it?

 

[Pommer]

That’s usually the problem with democracy, isn’t it?

The trick with democracy is to use the government so that everything is good, so that people who ought not to vote get real interested in doing just that.
You are here.

 

[Ana the Ist]

That’s usually the problem with democracy, isn’t it?

Ehhhh...sometimes?

Sometimes it's the candidates.