Despite Trump’s Promise, His Businesses Are Offering Little Information About Foreign Profits

Despite President Trump’s promise to donate all profits from foreign-government sources at his Washington hotel and other businesses, recently released internal documents reveal that Trump’s private company has made only a limited effort at identifying foreign funds. An undated document sent throughout the Trump Organization, called “Donations of Profits from Foreign Government Patronage,” says asking guests whether they are connected to a foreign government “would impede upon personal privacy and diminish the guest experience of our brand.” “It is not the intention nor design of this policy for our properties to attempt to identify individual travelers who have not specifically identified themselves as being a representative of a foreign government entity on foreign government business,” the document says. The Trump Organization said it would track foreign-state money by reviewing three sources: direct billings to foreign governments; group, banquet, and catering business with foreign governments; and payments from a “reasonably identifiable foreign government entity.” But that description was similarly loose.