Duckworth, Colleagues Request Information on Trump Organization’s Business in Turkey
Trump himself admitted to having a conflict of interest in Turkey in 2015
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tom Udall (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to Trump Organization Executive Vice President Jill Martin requesting information on the potential conflicts of interest that President Trump’s financial dealings in Turkey may pose following Trump’s abrupt decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Northern Syria and the subsequent Turkish offensive. Specifically, the Senators are calling attention to the substantial revenue the Trump Organization continues to earn in the form of a licensing agreement for Trump Towers Istanbul-Sisli.
“According to public financial disclosure forms filed by the President, President Trump has personally earned between $1.2 million and $7 million in royalties from entities affiliated with Trump Towers Istanbul-Sisli since becoming President,” the Senators said. “We agree with the President in his assertion that the Trump Organization’s dealings in Turkey present a major financial conflict of interest to this Administration and are greatly concerned this may be influencing U.S. foreign policy towards the Erdogan government.”
The Senators also raised questions about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ability to leverage regulatory power over the Trump Organization’s licensing deal. Duckworth and colleagues are requesting information about any contacts the Trump Organization may have had with the Erdogan government regarding foreign policy decisions.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
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