America last!
Trump preaches ‘buy American, hire American’ but in his 5-star hotel across the road from the White House we find that he puts...
DONALD Trump boasts of putting “America First” but we found the opposite at his new five-star hotel.
The rooms were full of imports but few US goods.
Thousands protested in the UK against Trump yesterday.
AS I lie on a gaudy, gold-edged king-size bed, seven floors up from the commotion outside, the chants of “no hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here” echo from the TV.
Getting through crowds of protesters just to check in to room 718 at the new $200million Trump International Hotel in Washington DC was a feat in itself.
On the 55-inch screen, news channels go on to recap Donald Trump’s first week in charge, starting with his inaugural speech. “Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families”. Yet despite his pledge to “Buy American and hire American”, a Mirror investigation found nearly everything in his hotel rooms are made by the foreign powers he has viciously accused of cheating the States and stealing US jobs.
Even his suggestion of imposing a 20% import tax on goods sent from his nemesis Mexico was found to be riddled with hypocrisy after we discovered his hotel’s TVs are made south of the border.
All of the 263 guest rooms and suites boast a £636 Samsung set, manufactured in Tijuana, months after Trump attacked US firms for sending jobs to Mexico. One guest at the bar said: “Trump launched his campaign labelling Mexicans rapists and killers.
“But he failed to mention he was delighted about their TV-making skills.
“The President has taken credit for stopping companies like Ford moving jobs to Mexico but when it comes to his businesses he doesn’t give a f*** – he’ll go wherever it is cheapest.”
Despite his attacks on China, the rooms, starting at an average of £500 per night, are packed full of items from the country he accused of a “massive theft of intellectual property”. Four lamps, two bath robes, a set of bathroom scales, the valet stand and a shower cap are all from the Far East. Further inspection finds sumptuous Italian bed linen, expensive Canadian toiletries, fine German Villeroy & Boch porcelain cups, Indian towels, two telephones from Malaysia and a Swiss fridge. And as tensions grow over his planned state visit, the UK has already given Trump the bin – more than 260 British-made Nevis brass ones in the bathrooms. Another British firm, Maxim World, supplies coin trays, metal ice buckets
and polished brass tissue box covers. We also found him cashing in on his most hated religion – Islam.
Opening the bedside drawer I came across a Gideon Bible with a note on hotel stationery: “If you would like to continue your spiritual journey, we also offer the following: Talmud. Quran. Gita. Avesta. Tripitaka (Pali Canon). Shri Guru Granth Sahib. Book of Mormon.”
A call to housekeeping confirmed guests were able to have the holy book of Islam brought to their room in Arabic and English, with a prayer rug and a compass pointing to Mecca.
It is clear Trump the President is happy to sign an order temporarily barring citizens of seven Muslimmajority countries from entering the US.
But Trump the hotelier welcomes Muslims – if they are loaded with dollars. Despite the President’s campaign and subsequent promise to put “America First” the only US-made things I could find in the room were the crisps and Trump Chocolate Gold Bullion Minis.
The same could be said for the staff. Most of those I spoke to during my stay had African or Caribbean accents. Even the hotel’s managing director, Mickael Damelincourt is from France.
Like Trump’s presidency, the hotel is already beset with problems. Democrats are challenging his right to lease the Old Post Office Pavilion, which the hotel occupies, citing a line in the agreement that prohibits elected officials from profiting off a government lease. In 2013, he signed a 60-year lease for the building with the General Services Administration, meaning he is now effectively the building’s landlord. Trump was criticised before the election over the building of his new hotel, amid claims he relied on undocumented workers – labourers with no legal right to be in the US – to cut costs. The workforce included many Hispanics, including some claiming they were undocumented.
It was later discovered that despite his attacks on China, the President had ditched US-made steel in favour of cheaper metal from the Far East. He used Chinese steel and aluminium in the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago.
It is understood he did not import steel for the refurbishment of the building that hosts his Washington hotel.
A spokesman for Trump said the company and its contractors followed all applicable laws.
But his rival Hillary Clinton said: “He’s used undocumented workers; he’s made his products in foreign countries; he’s used Chinese steel instead of American steel, so you can talk a good game, but let’s look at the facts, and the facts show he has stiffed American workers.”
But the hotels’ biggest problem may be the damning reviews that helped it lose more a reported $1.1million – £881,000 – in its first two months.
According to members-only LTILuxury Travel Intelligence, it is one of the world’s worst high-end hotels. Its review states: “This place is not for the true discerning luxury traveller.”
The hotel fared little better among everyday travellers. On website Yelp, Austin L, of Berkeley, California, simply said: “Probably the worst hotel experience of my life. The only redeeming trait were the constant protests outside.”