Democrats warn Trump hotel could turn into big headache
WASHINGTON — House Democrats warned on Wednesday that they’ll make Donald Trump’s splashy new Washington hotel a big headache if he doesn’t dump his ownership stake in it before taking office as the nation’s 45th president.
If he does so without divesting himself from his global business empire, the Trump International Hotel a few blocks from the White House could be the least of the new president’s political and legal aches and pains. Democrats, who will control none of the branches of federal government next year, signalled they’ll be ready to criticize Trump on ethics and potential conflicts when he takes office Jan. 20.
Top Democrats on the House Oversight and Transportation committees said the General Services Administration, which holds the lease on the Trump International Hotel, told members of Congress Dec. 8 that “Mr. Trump must divest himself not only of managerial control, but of all ownership interest,” or breach the $180 million contract, according to a letter they released.
The agency said in a statement that it “would be premature” for the GSA to decide before Trump takes office whether he is in danger of a contract breach. The agency’s statement did not address the hypothetical that Democrats said they posed in the Dec. 8 briefing: whether, if nothing changes, Trump would violate the lease on the government-owned Old Post Office building that houses the hotel.