The family business · 2016 campaign · № 16

Family business

Bahrain's embassy holds its national day reception at Trump's Washington hotel

Date
, Reported by Politico from an embassy invitation
Subject
Bahrain
Benefit
Gifts and payments
Government
Bahrain Freedom House: Not Free (2016)
Beneficiary
Donald Trump (Trump International Hotel, Washington)
Topic
Ethics & conflicts
Era
2016 campaign

What happened

On November 29, 2016, three weeks after Trump's election, Politico obtained an invitation from Bahrain's ambassador, Abdulla Al Khalifa, to a national day reception at the Trump International Hotel in Washington on December 7, 2016. A Washington Post list of spending at the hotel records the event as a National Day celebration paid for by the embassy of Bahrain. The Associated Press reported that Rep. James McGovern of Massachusetts wrote to Trump urging him not to accept money from the Bahraini monarchy for use of the hotel, and that the embassy did not reply to questions. A hotel representative told Politico that the company never discusses individual guests or groups. None of the sources cited here reports the amount paid. Freedom House rated Bahrain Not Free in its 2016 report.

Sources

  1. Bahrain to host event at Trump's D.C. hotel, raising ethical concerns Politico (via Internet Archive), Nov 29, 2016
  2. Bahrain to host anniversary party at Trump's DC hotel The Hill, Nov 29, 2016
  3. Why Donald Trump's Washington, D.C. Hotel Is So Controversial Associated Press (via Fortune), Dec 7, 2016
  4. Tracking who is spending money at President Trump's D.C. hotel The Washington Post (via Internet Archive), 2018
  5. Country and Territory Ratings and Statuses, 1973-2024 Freedom House, 2024