‘Phony’ rule kills Trump’s G7 ambitions
The news is “fake” and parts of the Constitution are “phony,” according to President Trump.
The commander-in-chief claimed Monday he’s the victim of the “phony emoluments clause” while defending his since-canceled plans to host next year’s G7 summit at his financially struggling Florida resort.
“You people with this phony emoluments clause,” the president (above) told reporters after he was asked to justify his attempt to host the major diplomatic event at Trump National Doral outside Miami.
Despite Trump’s claim, the foreign emoluments clause of the Constitution prohibits any sitting U.S. president from accepting titles or payments from foreign governments. The domestic emoluments clause, meanwhile, prohibits presidents from accepting any form of payment from the U.S. government besides salary.
Since Trump refused to fully divest himself from his business empire upon taking office, he still stands to personally profit from any business his companies do.
According to constitutional scholars, Trump could violate both the domestic and foreign emoluments clauses by hosting an event like the G7 at his Florida resort, as both foreign and domestic governments would likely have to dish out plenty of cash to the president’s namesake company.
But Trump downplayed the gravity of the constitutional clauses, which were implemented to prevent corruption.
“If you’re rich, it doesn’t matter,” Trump said when asked whether the G7 would provide a financial boost for the Doral, which has been hemorrhaging cash over the past four years, according to financial disclosures.