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Title: Trump says the president 'can't have a conflict of interest' and that selling his empire would be a 'really hard thing to do' – as he complains if it were up to some people 'I would never, ever see my daughter Ivanka'
Source:
Daily Mail Online
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art ... erseas-conflicts-interest.html
Published: Nov 22, 2016
Author: Geoff Earle, Deputy U.s. Political Edito
Post Date: 2016-11-22 17:48:16 by cranky
Keywords: None
Views: 14129
Comments: 27
President-elect Donald Trump is brushing back at critics who want him to liquidate his real estate empire and put professional distance between himself his closest family members to avoid potential conflicts of interest – saying if it was up to some people 'I would never, ever see my daughter Ivanka again.' Trump's pushback came in an interview with staff members of the New York Times Tuesday afternoon, where he addressed some of the swirling questions about how he will structure his business relationships during the transition and his presidency. Asked about simply selling his empire of hotels and golf courses, Trump said, 'That’s a really hard thing to do, because I have real estate.' As he did during the campaign, Trump said: 'My company's so unimportant to me relative to what I'm doing.' President-elect Donald Trump is blasting the media for focusing on his business dealings, and says liquidating his business is 'a really hard thing to do' But so far he is refusing to liquidate the business, and has yet to announce steps to remove himself from its operation. The last plan he announced was to have three of his adult children, Eric, Ivanka, and Donald Trump Jr., run the company while he is president. Trump brushed off criticisms that having his children in such a prominent role could allow for conflicts. 'If it were up to some people, I would never, ever see my daughter Ivanka again,' the president-elect said. Trump noted that laws setting up severe limitations on federal government employee conduct in business do not apply to the president, saying, 'The law's totally on my side, the president can't have a conflict of interest,' Trump said. In other comments, Trump gave the impression that he has not yet decided on how to handle the task of providing separation with his company, which in financial disclosures he has valued at more than $10 billion. 'I'd assumed that you'd have to set up some type of trust or whatever and you don't,' Trump told the reporters and editors. 'I would like to do something.' He also stated: 'In theory I could run my business perfectly and then run the country perfectly. There's never been a case like this.' Trump's comments were his most extensive on the pressing topic since the election. He hasn't given a press conference since he got elected. Trump responded to a series of reports about his overseas business dealings Monday night by bashing the media and arguing the public had already been forewarned. 'Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world. Only the crooked media makes this a big deal!' Trump wrote. The article quoted media consultant Andy Wigmore, who was present at the meeting, as saying: 'He did not say he hated wind farms as a concept; he just did not like them spoiling the views.' Wigmore said the president-elect 'did suggest that we should campaign on it' and 'spurred us in and we will be going for it' in a campaign in England, Scotland, and Wales. Trump's transition denied to the paper that the conversation happened, but Trump said in Tuesday's interview with the Times, 'I might have brought it up.' Atul and Sagar Chordia and Kalpesh Mehta meet with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower If accurate – the Trump transition has denied the conversation happened – it would be only the latest example of business intruding on Trump's time since the November 8 elections. Trump met last week with Indian business partners in one of his luxury hotel projects, the Economic Times of India reported. Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Trump Jr. were present in the meeting, the outlet reported. Trump said during the campaign that he would put his company into a 'blind trust' if elected, although he also has said he would turn over the country to his children, which would make its status less than blind. Ethics groups are demanding that Trump establish a 'clear firewall' with his children over business matters The letter was signed by leading ethics watchdogs in Washington 
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 4.
#2. To: cranky (#0)
The losers do not get to set the terms by which Trump lives. He will set aside management to his children, he will run the country, meet with his children when he wants to, and if he discusses business with them then, that's his business, not the country's. He should never release his tax returns, simply because his opponents are demanding it.
What was it Nixon said? "If the President does it, it can't be against the law"? Something like that. Trump reminds me of that remark.
If Nixon had had a Republican Congress, he would have been right.
#5. To: Vicomte13 (#4)
Or if a constitutional republic could be a monarchy, he could be right.
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#3. To: Vicomte13 (#2)
The losers do not get to set the terms by which Trump lives.
#4. To: cranky (#3)
Replies to Comment # 4. If Nixon had had a Republican Congress, he would have been right.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 4.
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