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title: Donald Trump to Donate Foreign Government Hotel Payments
description: Donald Trump's team said he would donate all money spent by foreign governments on bills at his hotels to the U.S. Treasury.
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author: Sarah Begley
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article:published_time: 2017-01-11T17:28:32.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T07:13:18.480Z
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og:title: Donald Trump to Donate Money Foreign Governments Spend at His Hotels to U.S. Treasury
og:description: Donald Trump's team said he would donate all money spent by foreign governments on bills at his hotels to the U.S. Treasury.
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twitter:description: Donald Trump's team said he would donate all money spent by foreign governments on bills at his hotels to the U.S. Treasury.
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbb5ceb29135a2d0b/6988b5262dce0170ce9ebe2b/trump-donald.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Donald Trump to Donate Money Foreign Governments Spend at His Hotels to U.S. Treasury

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SPuibc6H.m3u8" -->
## Video: Donald Trump's First News Conference Since Presidential Election

[Watch (HLS stream): Donald Trump's First News Conference Since Presidential Election](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SPuibc6H.m3u8) (2:17)

![Donald Trump's First News Conference Since Presidential Election](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/SPuibc6H/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2017-01-11. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday denied and denounced an unsubstantiated report that said Russia had compromising information about him, calling it an “absolute disgrace” during the first news conference he has hosted in about six months._


by 

[Sarah Begley](https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/)


## Sarah Begley


Jan 11, 2017 5:28 PM UTC

by 

[Sarah Begley](https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/)


## Sarah Begley


Jan 11, 2017 5:28 PM UTC

[Donald Trump’s](http://time.com/4631556/donald-trump-russia-fake-news-crap-sick-people/) team addressed concerns about his [potential conflicts of interest](http://time.com/4578431/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interest-list/) 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](http://time.com/4631180/donald-trump-press-conference-russia/), said that the [Emoluments Clause in the U.S. Constitution ](http://time.com/4579979/emoluments-clause-constitution-donald-trump/)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 ](http://time.com/4579979/emoluments-clause-constitution-donald-trump/)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.”


## Transcript

As far as hacking, I think it was Russia. But I think we also get hacked by other countries, and other people. Hacking's bad, and it shouldn't be done. But look at the things that were hacked, look at what was learned from that hacking. I saw the information, I read the information outside of that meeting. It's all fake news, it's phony stuff. It didn't happen, and it was gotten by opponents of ours. I have no dealings with Russia. I have no deals in Russia. I have no deals that could have been in Russia because we've stayed away. And I have no loans with Russia. Does anyone really believe that story?

I'm also very much of a germaphobe, by the way. My two sons who are right here, Don and Eric, are going to be running the company. They are going to be running it in a very professional manner. They're not gonna discuss it with me. I'll be making the decision on who we will put up for Justice of the United States Supreme Court. A replacement for the great great Justice Scalia. That will be probably within two weeks of the 20th. I don't feel like waiting a year or a year and a half. We're gonna start building. Mexico in some form, and there are many different forms, will reimburse us. And they will reimburse us for the cost of the wall.

That will happen. Whether it's a tax, or whether it's a payment, probably less likely that it's a payment. Well I'm not really seeing the tax returns, cuz as you know they're under audit. [ INAUDIBLE ] G I have never heard that. Ooh the G I have never heard that. I have never heard that. You know the only one who cares about my tax returns are the reporters okay. They are the only ones. No I dont think so. I won. I mean I became president. Go ahead. No not you. Not you your organisation is terrible. Your organization's terrible, let's go. Sir, sir. Go ahead. Quiet, quiet. Go ahead, she's asking a question, don't be rude.

Can you give us a question? Don't be rude. Can you give us a question? Don't be rude, no I'm not going to give you a question. You are fake news. Go ahead.

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