As Trump family's Gulf empire grows, rulers seek influence, arms, tech
The Hindu
Trump family promotes crypto firm in Gulf ahead of President's visit, sparking concerns of conflicts of interest.
Ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gulf visit next week, his son Eric was promoting his crypto firm in Dubai, while Don Jr prepared to talk about “Monetising MAGA” in Doha.
Last month, the Trump Organization struck its first luxury real estate deal in Qatar, and released details of a billion-dollar skyscraper in Dubai whose apartments can be bought in cryptocurrency.
In a monarchical region awash with petrodollars, the list of Trump-related ventures is long and growing. However, the presidential entourage is not the only party cashing in, analysts say.
“Gulf governments likely see the presence of the Trump brand in their countries as a way to generate goodwill with the new administration,” said Robert Mogielnicki of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.
If the President chose, he could hopscotch the region from one Trump venture to another when he visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next week on the first foreign tour of his second term.
Asked whether Mr. Trump would make visits or meetings linked to his own business interests or those of his family, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was “ridiculous” to “even suggest that President Trump is doing anything for his own benefit” and that he had “lost money for being President”.
But from Dubai’s Trump International golf course, to a high-rise apartment block in Jeddah and a $4-billion golf and real estate project on Omani state-owned land, business links are not hard to find in the desert autocracies.
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