During his term, former President Donald Trump is alleged to have accepted millions of dollars from foreign states including China, Saudi Arabia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a report released by Democratic lawmakers. The report asserts that Trump, through entities he owned or controlled, accepted at least $7.8 million from at least 20 countries during his presidency, without seeking Congressional approval, thereby possibly violating the US constitution.
The report suggests China was the leading contributor in terms of total payments directed to Trump’s private business interests. The authors of the report stated that such actions conflict with a president’s responsibility to the public interest. They further elaborated:
“By pocketing foreign states’ payments, President Trump repeatedly placed his personal financial interest and the interests of foreign wealth and power above the public interest, resulting in precisely the split loyalty between foreign power and the American people that the Framers sought to avoid by writing the Foreign Emoluments Clause into the Constitution.”
The $7.8 million figure was calculated using the most conservative possible accounting methodologies, the report added. These figures were derived from receipts and records the Committee obtained from Trump’s accounting firm, Mazars. Following a major court battle, Mazars was forced to provide documents to the Committee in compliance with its subpoena.
TheForeign Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8) states:
“No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”
The groundwork for this report commenced in 2016, when then President-elect Trump was expected to bring a considerable corporate empire to the presidency, with over 500 businesses operating in at least 25 different countries. Despite this, he refused to divest himself of these corporate assets and properties.
You can read the full details in this article: Trump accepted millions from foreign states during presidency, US lawmakers say.