A Look at 5 Trump Business Ties That Pose Conflicts

Business38 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2016 Business booms at Trump Tower, nearby retailers hit by security and crowds NEW YORK: Bailey White, 13, stood patiently in line with her little brother Keaton at the gift store inside the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue on Wednesday after- noon, each clutching a stuffed terrier named Charlie that cost $35 per item. The beagle, with a Trump monogram on its white bandana, was modeled on the pet dog of Eric Trump, the son of President-elect Donald Trump. It was one of the few items left on the shelves of the store, which had sold out of that morning’s fresh batch of red “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” t-shirts by noon. Bailey and Keaton, 10, however, were happy with their score. The children, who had traveled to New York from Florida originally for the Thanksgiving Day Parade, told Reuters they were huge fans of Donald Trump, listing at the top of their reasons his commitment to reduce illegal immigration. Or, as the younger brother puts it, “To stop bad guys from getting in our country.” As businesses around the president-elect’s glitzy New York home have had to deal with extra security and crowds reducing foot traffic sales in the lead up to Fifth Avenue’s busiest shopping weekend, Trump sou- venirs have been flying off the shelves at the billion- aire’s gift store. Trump supporters like the White siblings and their mom Laura have proven to be a boon for at least one of WASHINGTON: In this Oct. 26, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, accompanied by, from the his businesses in the immediate aftermath of the US left, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Trump, Melania Trump, Tiffany Trump and Ivanka Trump, speaks during the grand presidential election. opening of the Trump International Hotel-Old Post Office. — AP All campaign merchandise out of stock A look at 5 Trump business In just one hour, a Reuters reporter counted at least 100 people crowding the shop located on the lower level of the Tower to buy hats, pins and more. Many were dis- appointed to find the $30 dollar red “MAKE AMERICA ties that pose conflicts GREAT AGAIN” hat and all campaign t-shirts out of stock. Just one door over, a single salesman sat in dim lighting in the middle of the day at a New York City Interests called into question souvenir store, also in Trump Tower, greeting visitors with, “Looking for Trump merchandise?” before redi- NEW YORK: After Ivanka Trump “rampant, inescapable” conflicts that will President of the United States doesn’t recting them. appeared on CBS’s “60 Minutes” wearing engulf the new administration if the pres- have to?” When asked if the number of visitors inside the a $10,800 bracelet from her jewelry line, ident-elect does not liquidate his busi- As president, Trump will have the Trump Tower had increased since the presidential someone at her company sent photos ness holdings. authority to appoint a new head to the results, a security guard in the building replied: “One from the interview to fashion writers to A look at five areas where conflicts General Services Administration, the fed- hundred percent.” Outside, where some of the world’s drum up free publicity. A firestorm of crit- may arise: eral agency that signed the lease with most well-known retailers spend more on rent than in icism erupted over the impropriety of Trump and will negotiate the rent each just about any other city, shoppers had to fight through profiting off the presidency, and the New hotel year. security, crowds and media packs to enter the Gucci company apologized. If only the bracelet For use of the government-owned Old Business at the hotel could get a lift if store or tony jeweler Tiffany’s. brouhaha was the end of it. Post Office for his new Washington hotel, foreign dignitaries decide to stay at the Rosalia Betancourt, 69, first trekked to Trump Tower Experts on government ethics are Trump agreed on annual rent to the gov- new hotel to curry favor with the new two days after Trump was elected in search for the warning President-elect Donald Trump ernment in a contract that was signed president. In addition to the Washington eponymous red hat. They were sold out. When that he’ll never shake suspicions of a more than three years ago. So what pos- hotel, Trump Organization leases land Betancourt, who moved to New York from Venezuela clash between his private interests and sibly could be the problem now? Plenty, from some local governments, including more than four decades ago, braved holiday crowds a the public good if he doesn’t sell off his according to Steven Schooner, a profes- for a golf course in New York City and week later on Wednesday, she had to leave empty- vast holdings, which include roughly 500 sor of government procurement law at one in Florida. handed once again. “It’s all right” she said. “I guess I’ll companies in more than a dozen coun- George Washington University who has go online. It just has to be red.” tries. They say just the appearance of studied the contract. In addition to base Foreign affairs Sari Nielsen, 71, was waiting at the Trump Cafe next conflicts is likely to tie up the new admin- rent, the president-elect agreed to addi- Trump’s extensive operations abroad door to the shop for the crowds to die down. “I want to istration in investigations, lawsuits and tional annual payments based on various raise the possibility that his foreign policy buy my nephew Pete a Trump golf hat for squabbles, stoked perhaps by angry Oval financial measures of how well the hotel could be shaped by his business inter- Thanksgiving,” said Nielsen, who moved to New York in Office tweets. “People are itching to sue is doing. Schooner says such payments ests, and vice versa. Trump has struck real 1975 from Argentina. Donald Trump and stick him under oath,” typically require drawn out negotiations estate deals in South Korea, the Shoppers also had the option of buying Trump cuf- said Richard Painter, chief White House each year. Philippines, Indonesia, Uruguay, Panama, flinks, blankets, bags, perfume, candy, books authored by ethics lawyer for George W Bush. “How can anyone expect a govern- India and Turkey, among other countries. members of the family and more. The line shortened In an interview with The New York ment employee to negotiate with the In June, Turkish media reported that somewhat during lunchtime when visitors turned their Times on Tuesday, Trump insisted that Trump family at arm’s length and treat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called attention to the Trump Grill, which does not offer reser- the “law’s totally on my side,” and ethics the Trump family like any other contrac- for Trump’s name to be removed from vations but a $25 dollar fixed-price meal. experts agree that federal conflicts of tor?” Schooner asks. the Trump Towers in Istanbul because of Trisha Williams, 50, of San Jose, California also made interest rules don’t apply to the president Schooner thinks Trump should termi- what Erdogan characterized as anti- the trip to New York for the parade with her son Cayden, so he can run his business pretty much nate the contract because, even if the Muslim comments by the candidate. A 8, who stayed up and watched the election. The two the way he pleases while in office. His Trump family acts honorably, the appear- NATO member, Turkey is a key ally in stood outside the Trump Tower with their gold Trump company, The Trump Organization, had ance a conflict will spread doubt fighting the Islamic State group in Syria. store bags. no comment on the conflicts issue, other throughout the contracting system. In India, the newspaper Economic “We wanted to experience it all and buy some mer- than a statement reiterating its plans to Federal rules prohibit government Times reported that Trump held a meet- chandise,” Trisha said. But many of the items she wanted transfer control of the company to three employees and elected officials from ing in New York a week after his elec- to buy were not available. “They didn’t really have very of the president-elect’s adult children. striking contracting deals with the gov- tion with business partners who put up much,” Trisha said noting that a saleswoman at the store Painter doesn’t think that goes far ernment for just this reason, though the the Trump Towers Pune in the western gave her a card outlining how she can make purchases enough. In a letter to Trump last week, he president is exempted. “The US govern- part of the country. The president-elect online and that she’s already followed her advice. “I joined watchdog groups and ethics ment pays over $400 billion in contracts a also has a Trump-branded residential wanted a jacket with a Trump logo and a t-shirt, but they lawyers from both Democratic and year,” Schooner says. “Why should other tower in nearly Mumbai with another didn’t really have anything left.” — Reuters Republican administrations in predicting contractors have to follow the rule if the company. — AP.

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