Trump sued over foreign state payments to businesses

WASHINGTON: More than 190 Democratic lawmakers sued President Donald Trump in federal court on Wednesday, saying he had accepted funds from foreign governments through his businesses without congressional consent in violation of the US Constitution.

The complaint said Trump had not sought congressional approval for any of the payments his hundreds of businesses had received from foreign governments since he took office in January, even though the Constitution requires him to do so.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment but has said Trump’s business interests do not violate the Constitution. The Trump Organization has said it will donate profits from customers representing foreign governments to the US Treasury but will not require such customers to identify themselves.

At least 30 US senators and 166 representatives are plaintiffs in Wednesday’s lawsuit, representing the largest number of legislators ever to sue a US president, according to two lawmakers who are among the plaintiffs. The Constitution’s “foreign emoluments” clause bars US officeholders from accepting payments and various other gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval.

“The president’s failure to tell us about these emoluments, to disclose the payments and benefits that he is receiving, mean that we cannot do our job. We cannot consent to what we don’t know,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal.