The family business · First term · № 29
Saudi defense ministry delegation pays $78,342 for a week at Trump's Washington hotel
- Date
- , House Oversight Committee Democratic staff report based on Mazars records, January 4, 2024
- Subject
- Saudi Arabia
- Benefit
- Gifts and payments
- Government
- Saudi Arabia
- Beneficiary
- Donald Trump (Trump International Hotel, Washington; Trump World Tower)
- Amount
- $615,422 (estimate for 2017-2020)
- Topic
- Ethics & conflicts
- Era
- First term
What happened
Records from Trump's former accounting firm, Mazars, show that the Saudi Ministry of Defense paid $78,342 to the Trump International Hotel in Washington for a stay from March 7 to March 15, 2018, according to a House Oversight Committee Democratic staff report; Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Trump at the White House on March 20, 2018. Adding estimated charges on the floor the kingdom owns in Trump World Tower, the report put Saudi payments to Trump businesses during his term at no less than $615,422, part of at least $7.8 million from 20 governments. After the killing of Jamal Khashoggi on October 2, 2018, Trump said in a November 20 statement that the United States intended "to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia". On May 24, 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used an emergency determination to complete 22 arms transfers worth about $8.1 billion to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, and on July 24, 2019 Trump vetoed a resolution that would have blocked licenses for Saudi Arabia. The report alleged violations of the foreign emoluments clause; Eric Trump told ABC News that the "narrative is insane" and cited the company's voluntary donation of profits from foreign governments to the Treasury.
Sources
- White House for Sale: How Princes, Prime Ministers, and Premiers Paid Off President Trump
- Trump's businesses got at least $7.8 million in foreign payments while he was president, House Democrats say
- Trump's businesses received millions from foreign entities during his presidency, House report says
- Statement on Standing With Saudi Arabia
- Emergency Notification of Arms Sales to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia
- Message to the Senate Returning Without Approval Legislation Regarding Congressional Disapproval of the Proposed Transfer of Certain Defense Articles and Services to Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy
- Saudi Arabia: Freedom in the World 2018 Country Report