House Oversight Documents Unreported Foreign Gifts to Trump, Family Worth Nearly $300,000
Former President Donald Trump and members of his family failed to disclose more than 100 foreign gifts valued at nearly $300,000 that they received while Trump was in office, according to a report released by House Oversight and Accountability Committee Democrats on Friday.[0] The unreported items included a $3,755 gold golf club given to Trump by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a “a larger-than-life-sized painting” of Trump given to him by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.[1]
The unreported gifts also included gifts from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other foreign government officials.[2] The report also noted that Trump's youngest son Barron Trump and the Kushner children were also listed as recipients of some of the undisclosed gifts.[3]
The White House Gifts Unit usually maintains records of all presents, both domestic and foreign, and their worth that have been presented to the President and his family.[4] Under the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, the 1966 law prohibits officials from personally keeping gifts from foreign entities worth more than $415.[5] If an official wishes to retain a gift, they have the option of paying full value.[6] Otherwise, the objects are sent to the National Archives for future reference in presidential libraries, or the Department of Interior.[4]
Congressman Jamie Raskin, the leading Democrat on the oversight committee, accused President Trump and his team of exhibiting a “brazen disregard for the rule of law” and a “systematic mishandling of large gifts from foreign governments”.[7] Raskin argued that “Trump is exactly someone who the framers had in mind” when they included the emoluments clauses in the Constitution, which bars any federal office holder from accepting any type of gift from a foreign state without Congress’ consent to prevent U.S. policy from being dictated by foreigners.[8]
The report also raised concerns about whether the unreported gifts may have been used by foreign governments to influence U.S. policy positions toward those countries.[6] On Friday, Raskin issued a letter to the State Department asking for documents and communications related to foreign gifts given to Trump and his family, as well as “any references to effects on U.S. foreign policy.[6]”[6]
0. “House Oversight Democrats say Trump failed to disclose, report nearly $300K in gifts” msnNOW, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-oversight-democrats-say-trump-failed-to-disclose-report-nearly-300k-in-gifts/ar-AA18LxGa?li=BBnbcA1
1. “House Democrats say Trump failed to disclose gifts from foreign leaders” UPI News, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/03/17/Trump-foreign-gifts-Democrats-emoluments/3361679084071/
2. “Trump and his family didn't report $300,000 in gifts – including a giant self-portrait” Daily Mail, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11873521/Trump-family-didnt-report-300-000-gifts-including-giant-self-portrait.html
3. “Trump, family failed to disclose more than 100 foreign gifts, congressional report says” The Hill, 17 Mar. 2023, https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3905496-trump-family-failed-to-disclose-more-than-100-foreign-gifts-congressional-report-says
4. “Trump didn’t report $300k of gifts to State Department as some remain missing, committee finds” The Independent, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-gifts-state-department-report-b2303312.html
5. “Trump and his family failed to report nearly $300,000-worth of gifts from foreign governments, House Democrats allege in new report” CNN, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/17/politics/trump-gifts-democrats-report/index.html
6. “Two gifts to Trump family from foreign nations are missing, report says” The Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/17/donald-trump-foreign-gift/
7. “Over 100 Trump presidential gifts unaccounted for: US Democrats” Al Jazeera English, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/17/over-100trump-family-presidential-gifts-unaccounted-for-house-us-democrats
8. “Trump Failed to Follow Law on Foreign Gifts, House Democrats Say” Yahoo News, 17 Mar. 2023, https://news.yahoo.com/trump-failed-law-foreign-gifts-172327940.html
