Quick: You’re the president of the United States and you’ve been plagued for almost three years by accusations of lining your pockets with taxpayer money, not to mention a lawsuit accusing you of violating the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Recently, you attempted to award yourself a government contract worth millions that would’ve seen six foreign governments spend untold sums at your floundering Florida resort, but the blowback was so bad that even you walked it back. You’re in the middle of an impeachment inquiry concerning your attempt to pressure another country to open investigations that would personally benefit you, and things are not looking good. Do you: (a) keep your head down and try and stay out of trouble, (b) keep up your usual Twitter screeds but avoid talking about all the cash foreign governments routinely throw your way, or (c) say screw it and brag about the loads of opportunities you’ve had to accept what are effectively bribes from other countries? If your name is Donald Trump, there can only be one answer!
CNN reports that in its attempt to sell the lease to the Trump International Hotel in Washington, the Trump Organization—from which the president continues to profit—has assembled an investor brochure that states the main selling point of the business is all the foreign money thrown its way.
With all that sweet, sweet foreign cash, the company predicts a 65% jump in review from 2018 to 2020, and claims the hotel is estimated to bring in operating revenues of $67.7 million next year, and $6 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, minus the costs of keeping the hotel updated. In announcing that the company was looking into a sale, Eric Trump, channeling his father, said in a statement, “People are objecting to us making so much money on the hotel, and therefore we may be willing to sell.”
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