Donald Trump's business interests could be his undoing
The president-elect has to show America his priority is serving the public interest - and not his many business interests.
Thursday 24 November 2016 14:40, UK
No president has entered office with a business empire as large and sprawling as Donald Trump's.
Two days ago he tweeted: "Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world.
Only the crooked media makes this a big deal!"
Conflict of interest is a growing concern which he is doing very little to calm.
Donald Trump owns golf clubs, hotels, office towers and licensing deals in a total of 18 countries or territories including Azerbaijan, Turkey, China, Canada, Indonesia and Scotland.
Some are allies - some are ruled by autocratic dictatorships but all make for questionable dealings if Trump doesn't impose some sort of ethical limit on his foreign business interests.
Aside from the White House, Donald Trump's new hotel is his latest big Washington DC property acquisition. It's being pitched to foreign diplomats as a place to stay and do business.
At any other luxury DC hotel that wouldn't be an issue but when the owner is about to become president alarm bells start ringing.
Federal ethics laws don't apply to the president but others do.
Trump could run into problems because of a clause in the US Constitution that bars the president from accepting gifts from foreign leaders.
It states: "The Foreign Emoluments Clause in Article I, section 9, provides that no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States] shall, without the Consent of Congress, accept of [sic] any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
Emolument is defined as a "salary, fee, or profit from employment or office".
Norman Eisen was White House chief ethics lawyer for President Obama. He thinks this is all extremely problematic.
"It's like a hostile takeover of the United States government by the Trump organisation. It's profoundly concerning.
"He could be in violation of the constitution the minute he takes his oath. I don't even know how he can take his oath when the payments, the emoluments are flowing to his hotel.
"He's promised in the oath - he says I'll defend the constitution and as soon as he becomes president he'll be undermining it."
He says Trump's only option is to sign over control of his business to an independent trustee who would then sell his assets.
"The president-elect loves to say he wants to build a big beautiful wall - he needs to build a big beautiful wall of trust and the trustee would take the proceeds, put it behind the wall and then buy and sell in investments that are unknown to Mr Trump."
He believes the chances of Trump doing that are not high. Instead of downplaying his brand president-elect Trump says its "hotter than ever".
His solution is for his family to take over the business. But the presence of his daughter Ivanka at his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe raised questions. The lines are blurred.
Trump adviser Stephen Moore says people knew what they were getting when they voted for Trump.
"Hillary Clinton and the Democrats brought this up many times and the American people thought about it and they said 'ok - he has interests that may have at least the appearance of conflict of interest but we believe this man in his heart is going to do what's best for the country'.
"If he violates ethics rules he should be held accountable but I don't believe he will and I don't believe the American people think he will."
Donald Trump has to demonstrate that his priority is serving the public interest. Trump's career as a successful businessman played a major part in bringing him to power - if it isn't managed properly it could be his undoing.