How much money has gone directly from the Treasury into Donald Trump’s bank account?
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Brendan Boyle (D-PA) will introduce the Curb Objectionable Redirection of Resources and Unconstitutional Payments to Trump (CORRUPT) Act, legislation that would require a comprehensive accounting of how much Donald Trump and members of his family have profited from his presidency. Specifically, the bill would require a report on taxpayer expenditures to the Trump Organization and its affiliates in FY '17, including Trump hotels, as well as an annual report moving forward on appropriated funds and regulatory actions which financially benefit the President, his businesses and those of his close family members.
"The American people are fed up with the endemic, unapologetic corruption in the Trump administration," said Rep. Gallego. "We have no idea how much money has gone from the federal treasury directly into Donald Trump's pockets. We introduced the CORRUPT Act because Congress and the American people deserve a full and ongoing accounting of how Trump is profiting from the Presidency."
"President Trump has been in violation of the Constitution since he was sworn into office," said Rep. Ted Lieu. "The Emoluments Clause clearly states that a President can't profit off of the status of the highest office in the land and yet that hasn't stopped the Trump family from lining their pockets at taxpayer expense. I'm proud to join my colleagues introducing this bill so that we can finally get to the bottom of Trump's self-dealing."
"Government in democracy is for the common good but government in a dictatorship is a money-making operation for the ruler and his family and friends. Which one are we going to be?" said Rep. Jamie Raskin. "Let's have some transparency in Trump's spending so we can restore some real accountability in our society."
"The American people shouldn't have to wonder if this president is looking out for their best interests or only for himself. It's clear that Trump is using his power for his own gain, but it's not the job of taxpayers to support his absurd business ventures and Mar-a-Lago vacations," said Rep. Jayapal. "The CORRUPT Act ensures something that people across this nation expect and deserve: transparency. We will keep pushing to ensure the president is held to that standard."
To date, millions in taxpayer dollars have found their way into the coffers of the Trump Organization, including through federal employee stays at Trump hotels and space rented by federal agencies at Trump owned properties. For example:
- Tax payers paid $100,000 in hotels alone for a Trump brothers business trip in Feb 2017 for the development of Trump hotels in Uruguay – the government spends money on travel, hotels, and accommodations every time a member of the Trump family travels
- USA Today estimated that from January-August 2017, the Secret Service spent $59,585 on golf cart rentals alone as part of the President's trips to his own golf clubs
- Taxpayers paid over $120k every day while Melania lived in Trump Tower in 2017 before moving to the White House – during that same time $676,635 was spent on AF1 flights for her to and from the WH and Mar-a-Lago
- A federal employee racked up a $1,092 bill for a two night stay at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club last year
- The State Department spent $15,000 at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Vancouver for its grand opening in February 2017, an event attended by Trump's sons Donald Jr. and Eric as well as his daughter Tiffany
- An employee of the General Services Administration, the agency overseeing the lease for the Trump hotel in Washington, spent $900 on a stay at the property last year.