The House Oversight Committee Democrats on Thursday released a report that provided evidence for Donald Trump receiving up to $7.8 million from foreign governments when he was in office. The former president’s niece, Mary Trump, a psychologist, said the disclosure poses a threat irrespective of whether he wins the 2024 election.
What Happened: Donald Trump’s businesses received more than $300,000 from Kuwait as the country shifted its annual Washington party to the former’s hotel in December 2016, Mary Trump said, as she delved into the details of the report. Shortly after in 2017, Donald Trump announced that he was expediting a $5 billion sale of American F/A-18 Super Hornet fighting jets to them.
In April 2018, the Qatari Permanent Mission to the U.N. bought a fourth apartment at Trump World Tower for $6.5 million and in the same month, Donald Trump welcomed the country’s monarch at the Oval Office and hobnobbed with him, Mary Trump said. Qatar reportedly paid $465,744 in charges for all its properties in Trump World Tower.
Donald Trump received the largest total payments from China, with businesses from the country spending more than $5.5 million at Trump Tower in New York, and at two of his hotels in Washington and Las Vegas, she noted.
To ensure foreign countries can’t influence leaders, Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution prohibits a president from accepting money, payments, or gifts ”of any kind whatever” from foreign governments unless he obtains ”the consent of the Congress" to do so, said the psychologist.
”Knowing Donald as I do, I knew there was more to it when he said he'd reject the presidential salary paid by Americans,” Mary Trump said. “Now we know why he did: He was already bought and paid for by over 20 foreign governments,” she added.
Mary Trump sees grounds for impeaching him if he manages to win the presidency. “If our nightmare comes true – that he can still get into office, this is already grounds to impeach him,” she said.
Even if Donald Trump isn’t elected as president, he faces the threat of the Democrats holding him responsible, Mary Trump said, citing Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.)
Why It’s Important: The findings by the House Democrats assume importance because the Republicans have been pressing similar charges against President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. While Joe Biden was in office as vice president, Hunter Biden received questionable payments from foreign firms as quid-pro-quo, Republicans allege.
Donald Trump is currently leading the Republican primary race, with opinion polls putting him way ahead of his partymen. In a hypothetical two-way match-up with Joe Biden, the former president is seen to have an edge. The looming legal challenges, however, stand between him and a potential second term.
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