House Democrats have released a report detailing how former U.S. President Donald Trump earned at least $7.8 million from foreign governments during his presidency.
The report, produced by the House Oversight Committee, underscores payments made to Trump’s businesses.
The report, spearheaded by Representative Jamie Raskin, a key member of the Oversight Committee, indicated that this income originated from “some of the world’s most unsavoury regimes.” China was the largest contributor, funnelling over $5.5 million to Trump’s properties. Other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, India, and Afghanistan, were also listed as sources of payments.
Raskin emphasized that these transactions potentially violate the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause, which prohibits the president from accepting payments or gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval – a consent Trump reportedly did not seek.
Financial Benefits and Policy Decisions
Raskin highlighted that the $7.8 million figure is likely only a portion of the total foreign funds Trump received. Payments were made to Trump’s hotels in key locations such as Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, and New York City. These funds directly benefited Trump personally, raising concerns about their influence on his foreign policy decisions. For instance, the report notes that Saudi Arabia spent over $615,400 at Trump properties when Trump secured a $100 billion arms deal with the kingdom in 2017.
The report draws on documents from Mazars, Trump’s former accounting firm, which were obtained after prolonged legal efforts by Democrats. Although challenges impeded the full acquisition of documents, the subset obtained offers insight into Trump’s business finances during his office.
Trump’s team for his potential 2024 presidential campaign has not responded to inquiries about these allegations.
