Sunlight Foundation: Trump’s Conflicts of Interest

Sunlight Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for open government, has been tracking President Trump’s conflicts of interest—and it turns out there are many.

Here are a few highlights so far:

  • President Trump not only failed to set up a true blind trust for his assets, but in the weeks since Election Day and Inauguration has continued to mix the business interests of the Trump Organization with those of the American people, whom he represents. It’s jumped from dozens to hundreds. (Here’s a fun little spreadsheet tracking those issues)
  • There is no way for a President of United States to recuse himself from making domestic or foreign policy decisions which would have an impact upon his business holdings. If the White House does not take action, the potential for the most corrupt administration in history is clear — and it’s bigger than Watergate.
  • The President of the United States is not above the law, as former White House ethics counsels Norm Eisen and Richard Painter explain the serious conflicts of interest, appearance of conflicts, and Emoluments Clause problems that exist. Watch the video below for a full explanation of Trump’s conflicts of interest.
  • “Trump’s trust is not blind. His brand will conflict with his Presidency. His taxes remain secret, despite decades of precedent. The Trump Presidency will be mired in litigation, doubt, scandal, and crisis.”

To read the full analysis and follow the work of the Sunlight Foundation, click here.