Summary
Democrats, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, urge ex-President Trump to return $7.8 million allegedly received from foreign governments during his term. Raskin deems it a constitutional violation.
A top House Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin has formally called on Donald Trump to return the nearly $8 million reportedly collected from foreign governments during his presidency.
A recent report from the House Oversight Committee alleges that Trump’s companies, primarily hotels and resorts, were paid at least $7.8 million by countries including China, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. The report, with over 100 pages of documents, claims these transactions violated the constitutional ban on payments from foreign governments to public officials.
Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, demanded the return of the money, characterizing Trump’s acceptance as a “stunning violation of the U.S. Constitution.”
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In response to Raskin’s demand, Trump, at a recent Fox News town hall, refused to commit to divesting from his businesses if re-elected and justified the foreign payments received during his presidency.
Democrats emphasize the constitutional prohibition on elected officials accepting profits from foreign states without congressional approval. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court dismissing two lawsuits against Trump on this issue in 2021, questions remain about whether presidents can receive such payments without congressional consent.
The Democrats argue that the $7.8 million detailed in their report is likely a fraction of Trump’s total revenue during his presidency, based on partial financial records before access was cut off by Trump’s former accounting firm.
Raskin insisted that Trump provide the committee with full financial records, stating, “You must provide Congress with a full accounting of all payments, benefits, or other emoluments you received from foreign governments or their agents, including through the more than 500 entities you own, during your term as president — and you must pay to the American people the total amount in foreign emoluments you accepted as President.”
Understanding the Issues:
- Why is Rep. Jamie Raskin demanding Trump return $7.8 million?
- Raskin alleges that Trump’s companies, particularly hotels and resorts, were paid at least $7.8 million by foreign governments during his presidency, violating the constitutional ban on such payments.
- What constitutional violation does Raskin claim occurred?
- Raskin asserts that Trump’s acceptance of money from foreign governments represents a “stunning violation of the U.S. Constitution,” specifically the prohibition on public officials accepting emoluments without congressional approval.
- What action does Raskin demand from Trump?
- Raskin demands that Trump provide the House Oversight Committee with a full accounting of all payments, benefits, or other emoluments received from foreign governments during his term and insists on returning the total amount to the American people.