Social Question

jca2's avatar

Trump to host next G7 at his Doral Miami resort. What do you think about that?

Asked by jca2 (16748points) October 17th, 2019

Cut and pasted from today’s NY Times (for those who may not be able to access it):

President Trump will host next year’s Group of 7 meeting next June at Trump Doral, his luxury resort near Miami, the president’s acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, told reporters on Thursday.

“‘It’s almost like they built this facility to host this type of event,’” Mr. Mulvaney said during a press briefing, quoting what he said an unnamed official had told him before quickly saying that the issue was not a conflict of interest. “The president has made it clear since he’s been here that he hasn’t profited since he’s been here.”

The decision to host the summit at the Trump National Doral Miami Golf Club is almost sure to alarm ethics watchdogs and critics of the administration who would see an immediate conflict of interest. Hosting the Group of 7 meeting of world leaders at a Trump property could provide a windfall for the Trump Organization and raise the resort’s profile around the world.

“Donald Trump’s brand is strong as it is,” Mr. Mulvaney said when asked about possible criticism. “It’s the most recognized name in the English language.”

The president has been publicly laying the groundwork for hosting the meeting. At the Group of 7 summit this year, held in Biarritz in the south of France, Mr. Trump suggested that his luxury golf resort, west of Miami, would be a “great place” to hold next year’s meeting.

“It’s got tremendous acreage, many hundreds of acres, so we can handle whatever happens,” Mr. Trump said. “People are really liking it and plus it has buildings that have 50 to 70 units. And so each delegation can have its own building.”

Can you please tell me how Trump-lovers can defend this?

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19 Answers

zenvelo's avatar

Conflict of interest, and instead of getting a “break” on a huge block or rooms, you know he will charge everyone extra.

If I were France or Germany, I’d rent out an airbnb down the road to save money,.

Darth_Algar's avatar

Grifters gonna grift.

janbb's avatar

Do they have to come? Why not hold a G-6 meeting in Europe? It’s a clear violation of the Emoluments rule.

ragingloli's avatar

If I were the other world leaders, I would coordinate with the other ones, to show up without paying a pfennig. Then consider the hallways to be toilets. Shit all over the place. Release swarms of rats onto the compound. Leave a bad Yelp review. What is he going to do? Cancel the event? Probably. But that would still be hilarious.

Response moderated
Dutchess_III's avatar

….before quickly saying that the issue was not a conflict of interest. “The president has made it clear since he’s been here that he hasn’t profited since he’s been here.”” Oh. I am so reassured by trump saying he hasn’t profited from the presidency.

flutherother's avatar

It’s a brazen conflict of interest. Trump may not be running his Miami golf clubs at the moment but he owns them and his sons run them.

South Florida is hot and muggy in mid-June and the hurricane season will be underway. It isn’t the best place to hold any event, golfing or otherwise. There is no reason for Trump choosing Trump Dorian other than to benefit his business with government dollars. The guy has some nerve.

Call_Me_Jay's avatar

It’s not going to happen. First, he probably won’t be in office. Barring that, I hope our closest allies will do what friends do – demand another venue to prevent us from embarrassing ourselves.

elbanditoroso's avatar

He may not be president next year.

If the other heads of state had any cojones, they would politely decline to visit if the meeting is held there.

stanleybmanly's avatar

What if by host, trump were to actually provide these facilities at absolutely no charge to participants?

Response moderated (Writing Standards)
Darth_Algar's avatar

Yeah, I’m sure a Trump-owned property is the only nice, comfortable venue in the entire United States.

johnpowell's avatar

Around a month ago Netflix released a show called the I-Land. I watched two eps and thought it was horrible. But I had already spent two hours watching and it is only 10 eps long. Maybe it would get better, I had already spent two hours, might as well finish it. Wouldn’t want to waste those two hours.

I should have stopped and watched American Dad reruns instead.

Nobody is impressed that I finished the show. I look like a idiot. The I-Land did not pardon me.

stanleybmanly's avatar

The thing that distinguishes this potential crime from Trump’s other criminal blunders is that this time his announcement of his scheduled criminality is far enough in advance of the actual crime for others to talk some sense into the fool. I’ll bet he either changes his plan or takes the financial hit through donating the usage of the facilities for the duration of the conference.

ragingloli's avatar

It is not just the direct financial benefits that are of issue.
There is also the prestige boost that resort would get from being a G7 host. Which will result in a revenue increase in the future.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Exactly what @ragingloli said. It’s advertising.

stanleybmanly's avatar

I can’t understand anyone not thinking the man suffers crippling mental abnormalities. All of us are capable of obtuse slips, but the glaring lack of judgement on display here is actually stupefying. The Congress & I mean the entire Congress should convene, and as quietly as possible gather up some shrinks that they can all agree on and ask the necessary questions.

zenvelo's avatar

All the rooms will be bugged, and I don’t mean listening devices.

Trump Doral recently settled a bed bug lawsuit.

#BedBugSummit has been trending on twitter.

Dutchess_III's avatar

He actually tweeted that picture of Pelosi ripping him a new one!

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