Donald Trump’s team addressed concerns about his potential conflicts of interest on Wednesday by saying he would donate all money spent by foreign governments on bills at his hotels to the U.S. Treasury.
Sheri Dillon, an attorney with Morgan Lewis who has worked with the Trump team to structure his new business arrangements, said that the Emoluments Clause in the U.S. Constitution did not apply to hotel bills, but he would take steps anyway to avoid profiting from any foreign officials choosing to book rooms in his hotels. “He is going to voluntarily donate all profits from foreign government payments made to his hotels to the U.S. Treasury,” she said. “This way it is the American people who profit.”
The Emoluments Clause specifies that “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” Dillon said that the Constitution does not require Trump to take this action, but that he wants to “do more than what the Constitution requires.”
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com