Questions loom about conflicts of interest in second Trump term
CNN
In the two months since the election, President-elect Donald Trump has urged his nearly 8.5 million followers on Truth Social to buy limited edition guitars that bear his signature and Trump-themed fragrances that “represent winning.”
In the two months since the election, President-elect Donald Trump has urged his nearly 8.5 million followers on Truth Social to buy limited edition guitars that bear his signature and Trump-themed fragrances that “represent winning.” A $899 gold-plated inauguration edition was recently added to the line of Trump watches he first launched this summer and his nascent sneaker brand is now offering footwear featuring a state-by-state map of his electoral victory. The post-election sales pitches illustrate just how closely Trump’s personal business interests are entwined with his politics. But less than two weeks from taking the oath of office, the Republican billionaire and the Trump Organization have not offered details to the public on how precisely they intend to wall off those varied interests – which range from hotels, golf clubs and licensing deals to a new cryptocurrency venture – from his job as president. So far, Trump has transferred his shares in Truth Social’s parent company into a longstanding trust of which he is the sole beneficiary, according to recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. His oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is the trustee. Ethics experts say those steps fall well short of the blind trusts and divestitures from private business interests that other presidents have used to avoid ethical conflicts with their job. And there are signs that the Trump Organization will erect fewer limits on its activity than it did during Trump’s first four years in the White House. His son, Eric Trump – who oversees the company day-to-day – has said the company will continue to pursue business opportunities overseas, dropping a self-imposed prohibition on foreign deals that the company said was in place during the first term. The marketing activity around Donald Trump’s return to the White House “indicates that there is clearly a focus on monetizing the presidency,” said Kedric Payne, senior director of ethics at the Campaign Legal Center watchdog group. “The concern is that he will now use the presidency to benefit himself and his family beyond what is imaginable.”
The storied White House East Room has welcomed politicians, foreign dignitaries, war heroes, celebrities and elite athletes, but on Wednesday, it was the setting for an extremely robotic speech introducing first lady Melania Trump.
Amid the constant barrage of President Donald Trump’s often-unpopular actions, it can be easy to lose sight of what probably matters most politically: the sputtering economy.
An Air Canada regional jet landing at one of the country’s busiest and most prominent airports slammed into a firetruck at more than 100 miles per hour on Sunday, leaving federal investigators and frightened passengers questioning what could have gone wrong.
The former assistant attorney general for civil rights under President Joe Biden, Kristen Clarke, is joining the National Association for the Advancement of Color People (NAACP) as general counsel, according to the organization.
Approximately 1,000 US soldiers with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division are expecting to deploy in coming days to the Middle East, according to two sources familiar with the matter, adding to the growing military firepower in the region as the Trump administration says it is in talks with Iran to end the conflict.
CNN’s 5 Things AM brings you the news you need to know every morning.
When the historic East Wing of the White House was suddenly demolished to make way for President Donald Trump’s new ballroom construction last year, another piece of history was taken down with it.
The high-profile deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports has renewed support on the right and fear on the left about the possibility of ICE going to the polls in November.
The House Oversight Committee released videos Tuesday of closed-door depositions with two men in Jeffrey Epstein’s inner circle as part of its probe into the late convicted sex offender.
The House Intelligence Committee voted Tuesday to give federal prosecutors classified records related to John Brennan, according to a committee spokesperson, signaling the Justice Department’s investigation into the former CIA director may be heading towards possible charges.
North Carolina State Senate leader Phil Berger on Tuesday conceded his primary race to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, a political earthquake that took down arguably the most powerful politician in a pivotal swing state.
It’s looking like the Department of Homeland Security shutdown could soon be over. The two sides seem to have made serious progress, and President Donald Trump hasn’t rejected anything, even if he’s a little sour. But it’s likely the resolution will disappoint many Democrats.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that he regretted using the word “apartheid” to describe the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians, though he warned “that’s a word you may hear others use” if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes for territorial gains.