Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) accused President Trump on Wednesday of conducting his trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the first major foreign trip of his second term, as a “personal business venture.”
“Donald Trump’s trip to Middle East seems less like a presidential visit and more like a personal business venture,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.
The Democratic leader declared that “nobody” has “benefited more [from] Middle East deals than Donald Trump himself.”
He cited the $5.5 billion deal Trump’s son, Eric, entered into to build a beachside ultraluxury community and golf course in Qatar and the investment that the United Arab Emirates has made into World Liberty Financial, a crypto currency company in which Trump’s family holds a major stake.
“Golf courses by the beach, hotel openings in Dubai, billions in investments toward Trump stablecoins. All of that enriches Donald Trump,” Schumer said on the floor.
“Is that what American foreign policy is all about? To make a rich president richer?” he asked.
Schumer highlighted Trump’s deal to accept a $400 million luxury Boeing 747 from Qatar to serve as the next Air Force One and ultimately go to Trump’s future presidential library.
“On this Middle Eastern trip, who exactly is Donald Trump working for — for the American people, or for his own bottom line and the bottom line of companies he brought on the tour?” Schumer asked.
Schumer also cited Attorney General Pam Bondi’s past work as a lobbyist for Qatar, which he said “explains why this robber-baron deal was allowed to go through, on the Qatar plane.”
He has vowed to hold up Trump’s political appointments to the Department of Justice until the administration provides more information about the Qatari plane deal.
He called on Senate Republicans to speak out about the possible conflicts of interest posed by Trump’s business dealings with the countries he’s visiting this week.
“Republicans should join us in getting answers or else they can expect this hold on nominees to persist. If this were done by a Democrat, Republicans would all be out here screaming. Republicans know how bad it is. So speak up,” he said.
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