In 2016, Donald Trump promised to keep his business interests and the presidency separate. As we’ve come to learn throughout the course of his presidency, that is not true. Donald Trump is a walking emoluments clause violation, who in 2018, tried to get the British Open to move to his resort in Scotland.
According to the New York Times, Trump asked the U.S. ambassador to the UK, Robert Wood “Woody” Johnson IV to “see if the British government could help steer the world-famous and lucrative British Open golf tournament to the Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland.”
Three people familiar with the request told the Times that despite a warning from his deputy, Lewis Lukens—who previously served as the acting US ambassador to the UK before Johnson–advising him against carrying out the request because it will be a conflict of interest and unethical, Johnson reportedly felt pressured and brought up the idea when he met with Scotland’s secretary of state, David Mundell.
Concerned about the request, Lukens wrote an email to State Department officials to tell them what had happened. “A few months later, Mr. Johnson forced out Mr. Lukens, a career diplomat who had earlier served as ambassador to Senegal, shortly before his term was to end,” The Times reports.
The Constitution’s emoluments clause bars Trump from hosting events like the British Open at his private properties since he would personally benefit from the event paid for by the British and Scottish governments.
This is not the first time Trump attempted to violate the emoluments clause. Last year, he suggested that the G7 summit be held at his Miami Doral resort in Florida. He eventually backed off the idea after receiving backlash and moved the summit to Camp David before it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Photo: Reuters
