The dictionary defines “conflict of interest” as, "a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity."
There is no question that an overwhelming majority of people who cast their votes for Donald Trump did so for his lifelong career as a businessman. From a failed airline that never turned a profit, casinos that had to filed for bankruptcy or a failed university that may very well have been a fraudulent enterprise (although we can guess due to the $25 million settlement Trump paid shortly after his presidential win in November). There are many more failures in Trump's lifelong business career, and there are many successes as well.
His successful purchase of the Grand Hyatt hotel, which still reigns tall in the heart of New York City, Trump Tower, Trump Place and the Trump International Hotel in Chicago. These achievements are a staple to the argument of many Trump supporters that claim he will “Make America Great Again."
It’s easy to forget or overlook what seems to be a small detail, but ends up being a huge dilemma: not only does Trump own successful properties, he has permits for properties from countries all around the world. It wouldn’t be as huge of a deal if he would put his company into a blind trust, but he has made it clear that he will be keeping the company in his full control or his children's control. A blind trust is put in place for business owners to overturn assets and have no intel on the inner workings of the company. This action is explicitly meant for there to be no conflicts of interest for governmental officials to make decisions that would knowingly allow them to make a profit for themselves rather than do what is in the best interest of the country.
Yet, there is no law that states that the president must put his or her assets into a blind trust. It has been a tradition and an expectation that America has set for the last 238 years. The only other president that has even had to put their assets into a blind trust was President Jimmy Carter, due to his family having owned a peanut farm, worth substantially less than Trump's present empire.
On November 30th, 2016, Trump released a tweet saying, “While I am not mandated to do this under the law, I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses." Notice that he says, “visually important” - as if the people upset about his business inquiries are only concerned about the “visual” of his business and not the possible and unknown effects his dealings could directly have on the American people.
In response to this tweet, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics tweeted, “Bravo! Only way to resolve these conflicts of interest is to divest. Good call!” even though Trump said nothing about divesting his business. He says that his children will run the business, but take a look at some of the conflicts of interest that arise from this decision:
-The Trump children run the business, which leases the Old Post Office Building from the General Services Administration, the head of which will be appointed with advice from those on Trump’s transition team, which his children are on.
-The Trump children run the business, which owes million of dollars to Deutsche Bank, which is negotiating a settlement with the Justice Department, which will be run by the Attorney General, who will be appointed with advice from Trump’s transition team.
-The Trump children run the business, which has had occasional disputes with the National Labor Relations Board, whose members will be appointed with advice from those on Trump’s transition team.
-The Trump children run the business, which has dealings with countries around the world, that will be negotiating foreign policy with the Trump administration, that could benefit Trump’s children and himself.
Millions of people voted for Donald Trump for reasons pertaining to his business successes and endeavors, but was this mentality really the best reason for him to act as President of the United States? Will he make decisions that benefit the country, or will he make dealings that benefit his business?
What the American people have learned since Trump rode down his golden escalator to announce his running for president is that he plays a waiting a game. The decisions he makes over the next few months will determine where his loyalties lie, and it is our duty as a democracy to see where they lay.
