WASHINGTON ― Democrats are urging Donald Trump to divest his business holdings after the president-elect canceled a planned news conference Tuesday where he had pledged to detail how he intends to manage the many potential conflicts of interest between his businesses and the needs of the nation.
In a letter, 23 Democratic senators told the president-elect he should take the advice of the federal Office of Government Ethics, which suggested in a tweetstorm two weeks ago that Trump should sell off his business properties.
“As a businessman with assets around the world, your holdings have the potential for serious conflicts between the national interest and your personal financial interests,” wrote Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
“We understand that the Office of Government Ethics, an independent, non-partisan ethics agency created in the wake of the scandals of Watergate, has recently advised you that the only way to resolve these conflicts of interest is through divestiture of your businesses,” the letter says.
The senators noted that while Trump has argued that the president is not limited by conflict of interest laws, the OGE has observed that past presidents have nevertheless abided by such laws.
The senators also pointed to the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which bars presidents and other federal officials from taking payments or gifts from foreign governments. Trump does business with foreign governments.
Beyond selling his businesses, the senators also argue that Trump should dump the proceeds from those sales into a true blind trust not run by his family.
“Whether the President of the United States makes decisions about potential trade agreements or sending troops into war, the American people need to know that their President is acting in their best interest,” the letter says. “Divestiture of your businesses and the establishment of a qualified blind trust controlled by an independent party would provide assurances that you will put the interests of the American people first and are fully committed to the success of your presidency.”
The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.