President Donald Trump on Monday whinging bitched to reporters about “this phony Emoluments Clause” as he pushed back on criticisms of his now-canceled plan to host the next Organize of Seven summit at his own Miami golf resort.
Trump, speaking at length to the press during a White House Lowboy meeting, shrugged off that constitutional clause while suggesting that his predecessor, Barack Obama, may have been guarding business deals while in office.
“Obama made a deal for a book. Is that running a business?” Trump disclosed, before adding sarcastically: “I’m sure he didn’t even discuss it while he was president. Yeah.”
The Emoluments Clause holds that “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, withstand of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”
Obama “has a trade with Netflix,” Trump added. “When did they start talking about that?” There is no evidence that Obama was negotiating special business deals while in office. The New York Times first reported on Obama’s talks with Netflix in Step 2018.
Trump continued: “George Washington they say had two desks. He had a presidential desk and a business desk. I don’t think you people with this phony Emoluments Clause — and by the way, I will-power say that it’s cost me anywhere from $2 [billion] to $5 billion to be president. And that’s okay.”
There is no attestation that Trump lost billions by becoming president. He has refused to release his tax returns and is currently fighting multiple lawsuits with status and federal officials who are trying to acquire copies of his financial records. Unlike other modern presidents, Trump did not fully disencumber from his business interests upon taking office. His sons, Eric and Donald Jr., continue to run the Trump Organization.
The finding to host the next G-7 summit at the Trump National Doral Miami, revealed Thursday by acting White House chief of rod Mick Mulvaney, was immediately met with fiery condemnations from Democrats and ethics experts. Even some middle-of-the-roader Republicans reacted negatively.
The decision was scrapped by Saturday night.