Trump says he wouldn’t profit from a G-7 summit at Doral, claims presidency has cost him billions

President Donald Trump said Monday that the Group of 7 summit — an annual gathering of world leaders representing powerful democracies — could take place next year at his own golf resort in Florida.

If the summit were to take place at one of Trump’s private hotels, that means the president could profit personally from the conference of global leaders, although the Constitution prohibits presidents from taking payments from foreign governments.

The president said at a news conference Monday that his team had looked at 12 sites but that Trump National resort in Doral, Fla., proved to be a “natural” option. He boasted about a series of “magnificent buildings” with “luxurious rooms” and “incredible” views, restaurants and conference rooms.

Trump strongly pushed the idea of holding next year's G7 summit at his Doral resort in Miami, as he used the world stage to deliver an infomercial for his property twice in one day https://t.co/4m0M7qigAy pic.twitter.com/ReUaLN8fFC

— POLITICO (@politico) August 26, 2019

“My people wanted it. From my standpoint, I’m not going to make any money,” said Trump, who owns more than 10 hotels and golf clubs around the world, including the Doral hotel. “In my opinion, I’m not going to make any money. I don’t want to make money.”

When further quizzed about profits the move could bring him, Trump discussed the financial losses he said he had sustained as president.

“In a combination of loss and opportunity, I think it will lose me anywhere from $3 (billion to) $5 billion to be president,” Trump said. “I used to get paid to give speeches. Now I give speeches all the time. You know what I get? Zippo.”

Earlier in the day, the president told reporters during an appearance with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the conference in France that the summit would likely take place in Miami for the convenience of its international airport “that takes planes from everywhere.” When asked whether he would host the G-7 at the Trump National hotel in Doral, he said it was a strong contender.

“They love the location of the hotel,” Trump said. “We haven’t found anything that’s even close to competing with it.”

Deepak Gupta, a constitutional lawyer and a lead counsel in one of the lawsuits against Trump under the emoluments clauses, said that if foreign governments pay the Trump Organization to stay at the Doral, "that's a clear violation of the Constitution." https://t.co/xhndc7EwxQ

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 26, 2019

Trump added that although a final decision had not been made, the resort’s “tremendous acreage” and availability of buildings with conference rooms for each delegation made it a favorable option.

The Constitution bars federal officials from taking “emoluments,” or forms of payment or profit, from any “King, Prince, or Foreign State” as an ethics guideline. The Washington Post, which has covered Trump’s business dealings extensively, explains that this clause can be traced back to the Founding Fathers, who sought to stop U.S. ambassadors from taking bribes from wealthy European states. The modern meaning of the clause, however, isn’t as rigid because most presidents have steered clear of business entanglements while in office.

Because of Trump’s business ventures, ethical concerns about the potential for conflicts of interest in relation to his business empire have followed the president since he was on the campaign trail. The unprecedented business ties also have led to confusion among federal regulators, including in regard to the emoluments clause.

Saying you don’t care about making money for your properties in the middle of a sales pitch for your properties is somehow not very convincing. https://t.co/NXvxTe1QY8

— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) August 26, 2019

A report released earlier this year alleged that General Services Administration officials “ignored” concerns that Trump’s lease on a government-owned building could violate the Constitution when it allowed Trump to keep the lease after he took office.

The report found that although officials administering the lease — under Presidents Barack Obama and Trump — were aware that the Trump International Hotel’s business with foreign governments could be interpreted as an emoluments violation, the officials often concluded that the issue was someone else’s responsibility and failed to conduct a comprehensive review.

Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and a ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said Monday, in response to the president’s comments, that forcing foreign governments to spend money at Trump’s hotel to attend the G-7 would be a violation of the emoluments clause.

“Under no circumstances should the G-7 be held at Trump’s Doral resort, which would be one of the most egregious examples of corruption and self-dealing in a presidency replete with them. Trump is using the office to line his own pockets at the expense of the American people and our standing in the world,” Wyden said in a statement. “The Treasury Department, which plays an integral role in orchestrating the G-7, should not allow this to go forward.”

The prospect of Trump Doral resort hosting the 2020 G7 Summit raises the very real possibility that a corrupting influence tainted the procurement process. The public deserves a full accounting of the procurement process and an explanation as to why Doral was even considered. pic.twitter.com/zM2EbOiY59

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) August 26, 2019

Wyden said he planned to follow up with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and press Trump about the site selection process.

The president has repeatedly vowed to fight congressional oversight efforts to scrutinize his conduct, including his business dealings.