Donald Trump is turning the government and Republican campaigns into his own best customers, as his insistence on visiting his own properties brings government officials with him and sends a message to Republicans about how to get in his good graces—and maybe get a presidential appearance at their fundraisers. An analysis by The Washington Post finds that Trump’s visits and campaign events held at his properties have meant at least $1.6 million, and probably significantly more, in business for the Trump Organization.
Most recently, Trump left his Orlando campaign kickoff rally and went to his Trump National Doral resort, where he had a campaign fundraiser the next day. The Doral’s profits are down lately, but Trump has a plan to revive it: “He has suggested holding next year’s Group of Seven meeting — a gathering of world leaders—at Doral or another of his luxury resorts, current and former White House staffers said.”
But even if he doesn’t pull off that grift of grifts, Trump’s properties are doing significant business off of his presidency, with 23 of the 63 total fundraisers he’s attended having been held at his properties. It’s not just formal fundraisers, either. The Trump hotel in Washington, D.C., has turned into the place to go if you want to schmooze with Trump administration officials—to run into Kellyanne Conway or get a selfie with Attorney General William Barr. That too translates into increased business, to say nothing of the companies and foreign governments booking rooms in the hotel as they seek favors from the administration. And then there’s the fact that a Trump visit to one of his properties can mean the government spending tens of thousands of dollars for rooms for officials, and it’s added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars even without the full records available.
Can you say “emoluments clause”? Good, because congressional Republicans sure can’t.