Former Republican President Donald Trump's fortune benefited from $7.8 million from 20 countries, including China and Saudi Arabia, while he was in the White House, violating the U.S. Constitution, Democratic lawmakers denounced on Thursday.
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The Democratic Party lost control of the House of Representatives in Congress a year ago despite a parliamentary commission investigating possible violations of a constitutional clause that prohibits any official, minister or president from receiving “emoluments” to foreigners – gifts or money – from others Governments without the consent of Congress.
According to a report entitled “The White House is for Sale,” backed by the only Democratic minority on the commission and published by the Washington Post, officials from 20 countries – China, India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Democratic Republic of Congo – paid rent and bills in 2017 and 2018 for four properties among the 500 establishments and businesses owned by Donald Trump and his family group, the Trump Organization.
“As president, Donald Trump accepted more than $7.8 million in payments from foreign states and their leaders, including some of the world's most heinous regimes,” the report says sharply, accusing the former White House tenant ( 2017-2021) proposed to do so and saw some of this money “pass through (his) hands”.
The four targets are the offices and apartments of Trump Tower, an iconic skyscraper on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, as well as hotel or residential properties in New York, Washington and Las Vegas.
For example, according to the report, Chinese state bank ICBC rented office space in Trump Tower, and Beijing's total spending on the former head of state's real estate assets amounted to $5.5 million.
“Former President Trump violated the Constitution when his companies accepted these salaries without congressional approval,” denounced the Democrats of President Joe Biden, who is expected to run again against his Republican rival in November.
And “Saudi Arabia paid at least $615,422 in prohibited pay to former President Trump’s companies during his time in office.”
According to polls, the 77-year-old businessman is the favorite for the Republican primaries for the US presidential election, which begin on January 15th.
But the billionaire, who has already been charged four times, faces several trials this year. He and his sons Donald Jr. and Eric are currently facing a civil trial in New York over financial fraud by the Trump Organization.
When asked about the report by Democratic lawmakers during a regular news conference, a Chinese diplomacy spokesman, Wang Wenbin, said he had “no information on this issue,” adding, “I advise concerned American politicians not to contact China.” Opportunity to attack.” .