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Trump Jr.’s India Speech Blurs Lines Between Family and Government Business

Feb. 22, 2018

Trump Jr.’s India Speech Blurs Lines Between Family and Government Business

Statements of Public Citizen Experts

“This heavily advertised sale of Trump-branded luxury condos in India provides ample opportunity for unscrupulous interests to influence U.S. policy and highlights the Trumps’ willful ignorance of meaningful ethical standards.

According to a report in the New York Times, units are selling about 30 percent more than market rates on a per-square foot basis. Maybe the Trump-branded properties are just that much better than competitors. But other explanations are far more likely. The Trump Organization seems to be cashing in on President Donald Trump’s position – the ads in India plainly are an attempt to do so. Even more worrisome is the possibility that business or political leaders in India are trying to curry favor with the White House by purchasing Trump condos at above-market rates.

It’s simply absurd that Donald Trump Jr., with no discernible foreign policy credentials, would deliver a foreign policy speech at an event attended by India’s prime minister. Donald Trump Jr. is on the bill because he is the U.S. president’s son. The problem is, he’s in India to hawk Trump condos, and so the distinction between President Trump’s family’s business and the official business of the U.S. government once again is hopelessly blurred.”

– Robert Weissman, president, Public Citizen

“Donald Trump Jr.’s trip to India this week is just the latest illustration of how the Trump family has mingled its own business interests with the official business of the United States government. More than a year ago, the Trump Organization made a promise to donate profits from foreign governments. To date, no donations have been made. It is well past time for the American people to learn which foreign governments are doing business with the Trump Organization and how much the family empire has earned from foreign government patrons during the period of President Trump’s presidency.”

– Alan Zibel, research director, Public Citizen’s Corporate Presidency Project

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