This week, President Donald Trump made the first official state trip of his second term to the Middle East, where he hoped to announce a series of high-profile deals with the rulers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The deals, which include a commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the U.S., an arms package with Qatar, and commercial deals with the UAE, involve countries where the Trump family itself has significant business ties.
During his first term in office, the Trump Organization, which is owned privately by Trump and jointly controlled by his two sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., refrained from pursuing new foreign business deals. However, the organization did not renew that commitment after Trump’s election in November, and his sons have already initiated several foreign deals since January.
Potential conflicts between the president’s personal business and official duties emerged even before Trump left the United States, when reports emerged that the administration was preparing to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from the Qatari royal family to use as a new Air Force One. On May 11, ABC News reported that the plane would be given to the U.S. Air Force for Trump’s use during his presidency, but would then be transferred to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library at the end of his term, suggesting the $400 million aircraft could be used by Trump as a private citizen following his presidency.
ABC News reported that lawyers in the administration had reviewed the deal and determined it did not violate U.S. law. “Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the outlet. The White House and Department of Justice reportedly believe that, because the gift is being made to the U.S. Air Force—not Trump directly—and is not being made in exchange for an official act, there is no violation. Ethics experts, however, question whether the deal violates the Emoluments Clause—a provision of the Constitution that generally prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts and other objects or services of value from foreign governments, officials, or representatives without congressional consent.
