Will Trump casino in Jordan be an issue?

DUBAI // The president of the United States acquired a trademark in Jordan for a Donald Trump casino despite the fact that gambling is illegal in the kingdom.

It was one of four he received before he ran for office and suggests that the former casino executive may have had wider hopes for businesses across the Middle East than was previously known.

To keep the trademarks active, the Trump Organisation would need to reapply for them during Mr Trump’s fouryear term, raising potential ethical concerns for his company in Jordan, a stalwart US ally in the fight against ISIL.

The Trump Organisation has said its decision to enforce its intellectual property rights was nothing new but declined to discuss whether it knew how controversial gambling was in the kingdom. Jordan’s government acknowledged the trademarks, but that does not mean gambling is in Jordan’s future.

“That does not give any right to the company to practise any activities unless it is formally registered as a company in Jordan and licensed to practise,” said government spokesman Mohammed Momani.

“Gambling is illegal in Jordan, so company requests of this nature will be rejected.”

Richard Painter, the chief White House ethics lawyer under George W Bush, is part of a lawsuit alleging that Mr Trump is breaching the US constitution by allowing his business to accept payments.

“We don’t want foreign governments in a position to pay off our politicians with special treatment,” Mr Painter said. Mr Trump for years tried to enter the Middle East as a businessman. He applied for and received trademarks in Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE.

While most recent presidents have sold their financial holdings to avoid conflicts, Mr Trump has said that is not necessary.

Instead, he has turned managerial control over to his two adult sons, vowing not to pursue more deals abroad and appointing a lawyer to screen his business for conflicts.

In Jordan, Mr Trump applied for four trademarks in June 2008 and won approval in February the following year.

Alan Garten, an executive vice president and chief legal officer at the Trump Organisation, described the company’s decision as “broad trademark protection” to guard against others using the Trump name.

“While the trademark registration also included casino- related activities, the company has never pursued a casino,” he said.