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Conflicts of Interest

The Oxford Dictionary defines a conflict of interest as "a situation in which the concerns or aims of two different parties are incompatible" or "a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity."

Trump has many businesses, investments, and business relationships that create conflicts of interest for him as president. He has refused to eliminate those financial entanglements. He has also refused to disclose his taxes, as all modern presidents and presidential candidates have done. This makes it impossible to know whether actions he is taking as president are being done in service of the U.S., or for his own financial gain (or the gain of those close to him, such as his family).

The Constitution has a provision known as the Emoluments Clause, which bans payments from foreign powers. This was intended by the framers to prevent U.S. officials from being corrupted by gifts or payments. Trump's businesses receive payments from foreign powers. 

See also Corruption.

Timeline

2001.06Trump sells the 45th floor of Trump World Tower to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for $4.5 million dollars. nydailynews.com (See also Trump Business, Saudi Arabia)
Trump was paid at least $5.7 million by the Saudi government since 2001.
2014Donald Trump discloses investments of between $100,000 and $250,000 in Carrier Corporation's parent company, United Technologies. wsj.com (See also Carrier Corporation Jobs Deal)
2015.02.15Jared Kushner’s family says it won’t buy Marlins if Jeffrey Loria, a major donor to Trump's campaign, becomes ambassador to France. washingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days, Jared Kushner, Reince Priebus, Rex Tillerson)
2016.01Trump sells bonds issued by Carrier Corporation’s parent company, United Technologies. His presidential transition team does not provide documentation of the sale. huffingtonpost.com (See also Carrier Corporation Jobs Deal)
2016.05Trump discloses his stake in Energy Transfer Partners, builder of the disputed Dakota access pipeline. Trump also owns a stake in Phillips 66, an energy company that would control 25 percent of the pipeline once completed. csmonitor.com (See also Native Americans)
2016.07.16The Trump campaign works behind the scenes to ensure the new Republican platform won’t call for giving arms to Ukraine to fight Russian and rebel forces, contradicting Republican foreign policy leaders. washingtonpost.com (See also Ukraine, 2016 Campaign, Russia)
2016.08.03Where once Trump demanded tougher U.S. response to Russian aggression, after hiring Paul Manafort, the GOP nominee's views change and he now says he can live with a Russian Crimea. politico.com (See also Ukraine, Reversals)
2016.09.14New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is investigating the Trump Foundation over suspected improper political donation. bbc.com (See also Donald J. Trump Foundation, Trump University)
2016.09.23Officials are concerned that Trump foreign policy advisor, Carter Page, has spoken with the Kremlin about lifting economic sanctions on Russia. cnbc.com (See also 2016 Campaign, Russia, Russian Meddling in Election)
2016.09.29Trump’s company secretly conducted business in Cuba in 1998, in violation of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. newsweek.com (See also Cuba, Trump Business)
2016.10Donald Trump Jr. attends a meeting in Paris to discuss the Syrian conflict and possible U.S.–Russian cooperation in the region and was likely paid at least $50,000 for this appearance. wsj.com (See also Donald Trump Jr., Syria, Russia)
2016.10.26Trump’s financial disclosure forms show he invested between $500,000 and $1m in Energy Transfer Partners, operators of the Dakota Access Pipeline, a further $500,000 and $1m in Phillips 66 (Which has a 25% stake in the project once completed), and its CEO donated $100,000 to his campaign theguardian.com (See also Dakota Access Pipeline, Native Americans)
2016.11.09Trump's victory forces the U.S. to confront a series of never-seen-before entanglements over his business, debts, and rocky financial history. washingtonpost.com (See also The Trump Organization)
2016.11.10Trump’s kids to run businesses via "blind trust," Trump attorney says. His three children will run it. politico.com (See also The Trump Organization)
2016.11.11Donald Trump’s questionable "blind trust" setup gets murkier as his adult children join his presidential transition team. washingtonpost.com (See also The Trump Organization, Presidential Transition)
2016.11.12Trump's conflicts of interest take White House into uncharted territory and with his children running his company and working on his transition team little prevents the president-elect’s political and business careers from bleeding into each other. theguardian.com (See also The Trump Organization, Co)
2016.11.13There are few safeguards to prevent a president from pursuing his business interests from the Oval Office. theatlantic.com (See also The Trump Organization)
2016.11.14Eric Trump helps arrange a phone call between Trump and Argentine President Mauricio Macri, after which Trump’s Argentine partner makes new effort to promote stalled plan. washingtonpost.com (See also Eric Trump, Argentina, Nepotism, Presidential Transition)
2016.11.14Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) requests hearing into Trump's conflicts of interest. vox.com (See also The Trump Organization, Presidential Transition)
2016.11.16Ivanka Trump's jewelry company used the future first daughter's "60 Minutes" appearance Sunday to promote a high-end bracelet from her fashion line raising conflict of interest questions. money.cnn.com (See also Ivanka Trump, Presidential Transition)
2016.11.16Trump campaigned as a champion of coal miners but is close to choosing Wilbur Ross, who owned a West Virginia mine where 12 coal miners died on in 2006, to be his Commerce Secretary. thenation.com (See also Wilbur Ross, Department of Commerce)
2016.11.17Trump offers ex-general and anti-Islamist Michael Flynn national security advisor post, which does not require Senate confirmation. nytimes.com (See also Turkey, Russia, Muslim Immigration Ban, Muslim Registry, Michael Flynn, Presidential Transition)
2016.11.18Trump's top adviser Jared Kushner's brother, Josh, founds the health care startup Oscar, which makes money on the state exchanges for individual insurance established by the Affordable Care Act. huffingtonpost.com (See also Jared Kushner, Affordable Care Act)
2016.11.21Trump denies asking Argentine President for help with construction permits. npr.org (See also Argentina, Presidential Transition)
2016.11.21Trump's kids are his closest advisors. fortune.com (See also Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner)
2016.11.22Trump joined by daughter Ivanka on call with Argentine President Mauricio Macri. reuters.com (See also Argentina, Ivanka Trump)
2016.11.23Breitbart investor's company Cambridge Analytica, which claims Steve Bannon as a board member, is in talks to win two lucrative contracts to boost White House policy messaging and to expand sales for the Trump organization. independent.co.uk (See also Steve Bannon)
2016.11.23Donald Trump Jr. held talks on Syria with Russia supporters. wsj.com (See also Donald Trump Jr, Nepotism, Russia, Syria, Trump Relationship with Russia)
2016.11.25Concerns are raised over Trump owning stocks in company building Dakota Access Pipeline. cnbc.com (See also Dakota Access Pipeline, Presidential Transition)
2016.11.29What you need to know about Commerce Secretary pick Wilbur Ross, Trump's billionaire pal and major supporter. forbes.com (See also Wilbur Ross, Department of Commerce)
2016.12.02A source close to Puzder tells Bloomberg BNA that conflicts of interest aren't an issue because 94 percent of CKE's 2,500-some units are franchised. bna.com (See also Andrew Puzder, Department of Labor)
2016.12.02Mnuchin steps down from boards of CIT Groups Inc and Sears Holding Corp effective immediately to prepare for Treasury Secretary nomination. latimes.com (See also Steven Mnuchin, Department of the Treasury)
2016.12.02The Trump Winery, given to Eric Trump by his father, petitions the Labor Department for six H2 visas, which permit U.S. employers to hire foreigners for seasonal jobs. Trump oversees the Labor Department. washingtonpost.com (See also Eric Trump)
2016.12.02Trump administration to choose among president-elect's adviser, Steven Roth, and friend, Larry Silverstein, for next FBI headquarters, a $2 billion project. washingtonpost.com (See also FBI)
2016.12.04Ivanka Trump sits in on Trump's first meeting with a foreign leader, Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, as she is negotiating a Japanese business deal with a company owned in part by the Japanese government. nytimes.com (See also Ivanka Trump, Japan, The Trump Organization)
2016.12.12Trump names Goldman Sachs CEO Gary Cohn as pick for Director of National Economic Council. wsj.com (See also Hypocrisy, Presidential Transition, National Economic Council, Gary Cohn)
Records show Trump is indebted to Goldman Sachs for millions.
2016.12.13Tillerson visited the White House repeatedly to make sure ExxonMobil's competitors didn't gain an edge in the way Russia sanctions were enforced. bloomberg.com (See also Rex Tillerson, Russia, Department of State)
2016.12.13What is the Russian Order of Friendship and why does Rex Tillerson have one? washingtonpost.com (See also Rex Tillerson, Russia, Department of State)
2016.12.14Billions of dollars are at stake for ExxonMobil in one of Trump's biggest foreign policy decisions in the next few years and Tillerson's ties to Russia and oil are potentially huge conflicts of interest. vox.com (See also Rex Tillerson, Russia, Department of State)
2016.12.16Eric Trump cancels an auction for his foundation that offered the winning bidders coffee with his sister Ivanka Trump. nytimes.com (See also Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump)
2016.12.16Investigation reveals Trump paid $12.5 million to his own businesses during race—an unprecedented amount. money.cnn.com
2016.12.16Wilbur Ross has made a fortune in steel — and soon after the inauguration, the Commerce Department will make five decisions about steel trade that will affect his firms. propublica.org (See also Wilbur Ross, Department of Commerce)
2016.12.21Critics say the Trump team's "half-blind" trust for conflicts of interest could allow Trump or members of his administration to continue to draw income from their businesses — and even peek in on how their companies are faring, falling short of what ethics watchdogs demand. politico.com (See also The Trump Organization)
2016.12.21Wilbur Ross, U.S. Trump’s pick for commerce secretary, intends to step down as Bank of Cyprus vice chairman to work for Trump, but the private equity firm that bears his name isn’t planning to sell it. bloomberg.com (See also Wilbur Ross, Department of Commerce)
2016.12.22Trump pick for Health Secretary traded stock in medical companies while sponsoring legislation affecting those companies wsj.com (See also Tom Price, Department of Health and Human Services)
2016.12.22Trump will appoint members of the National Labor Relations Board, the agency that regulates labor practices at his hotels. npr.org (See also Blue-Collar Workers, Trump Business)
2016.12.23Democrats on Capitol Hill press for access to tax returns from Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump’s Secretary of State nominee. wsj.com (See also Rex Tillerson, Department of State)
2017Many Trump cabinet nominees have made political contributions to lawmakers voting on their appointments. opensecrets.org (See also Trump Cabinet)
2017.01.03Ethics watchdogs say it may not even be possible for Trump avoid being influenced by his conflicts of interest theatlantic.com (See also The Trump Organization)
Even if he thinks he won’t
2017.01.06Trump's businesses owe $1.8 billion to more than 150 different institutions, raising huge conflict-of-interest questions. independent.co.uk (See also Trump Business)
2017.01.07A top ethics official has warned against plans to confirm Trump's cabinet choices before background examinations are complete. washingtonpost.com (See also Trump Cabinet)
2017.01.07A top ethics official warns that plans to confirm Trump's Cabinet choices before background checks are complete is unprecedented. washingtonpost.com (See also Trump Cabinet)
2017.01.07As Jared Kushner prepares for a White House role, his undisclosed talks with a secretive Chinese company highlight potential conflicts of interest. nytimes.com (See also Jared Kushner, China)
2017.01.08Former Obama Ethics Czar posts an old letter from Mitch McConnell to Harry Reid demanding "Financial disclosures must be complete... prior to hearings being scheduled." twitter.com (See also Trump Cabinet)
2017.01.09Jared Kushner is all but running foreign policy during Trump's transition while serving as CEO of his family business. vox.com (See also Jared Kushner, China, Israel)
2017.01.09Trump's son-in-law and real estate investor, Jared Kushner, announces he will sell many of his assets to avoid potential conflicts of interest, but ethics lawyers question how meaningful that divestiture will be because he plans to sell them to his brother or to a family trust controlled by his mother. nytimes.com (See also Jared Kushner)
2017.01.10Eric Trump resigns from his foundation, which will run in his absence without his name attached. washingtonpost.com (See also Eric Trump)
2017.01.10Trump's cabinet nominees donated money to senators responsible for reviewing their appointments. wsj.com (See also Jeff Sessions, Trump Cabinet, Tom Price, Mike Pompeo, Dan Coats, Mike Mulvaney)
2017.01.11Both of Trump's joint fundraising committees are called out by the FEC for transgressions that include accepting large donations from anonymous sources. opensecrets.org (See also 2016 Campaign)
2017.01.11Norm Eisen, former special counsel to President Obama: Trump's business arrangements violate the bipartisan consensus about ethics for the presidency. pbs.org (See also The Trump Organization)
2017.01.11Remarks of U.S. Office of Government Ethics Director, Walter M. Schaub, Jr., to the Brookings Institute regarding his concerns about Trump's plans for his business while in office, as well as those of a number of his cabinet nominees. documentcloud.org
2017.01.11Rex Tillerson's controversial foreign ties are likely to be a focus of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. theatlantic.com (See also Rex Tillerson, Department of State)
2017.01.11Trump announces that his two eldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, will control his sprawling real estate business. forbes.com (See also Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, The Trump Organization)
2017.01.11Trump choses not to take a path that would free himself and his administration from battles over conflicts of interest and the appearance of acting to enrich himself. washingtonpost.com (See also The Trump Organization)
2017.01.12Ben Carson, in a confirmation hearing, declines to rule out HUD grants to Trump properties. npr.org (See also Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson)
2017.01.12Despite Senator Elizabeth Warren's repeated questions Ben Carson refuses to promise that no housing funds will benefit Trump. Carson is also accused of plagiarizing his opening remarks. theguardian.com (See also Ben Carson, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Plagiarism)
2017.01.13Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Chairman of the GOP-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, sends a letter to the head of the independent federal ethics office that is viewed as a veiled threat to the OGE budget unless he changes his criticism of Trump's plan to separate from his business interests. washingtonpost.com (See also The Trump Organization)
2017.01.15White House chief of staff warned the director of the Office of Government Ethics on Sunday to "be careful" about criticizing Trump's handling of his business conflicts. washingtonpost.com (See also Reince Priebus, Unprecedented Actions)
2017.01.16Donald Trump's businesses owe $1.8 billion to more than 150 different institutions, new study suggests. independent.co.uk
2017.01.17Ethics paperwork still missing for Trump's billionaire Cabinet picks. cnn.com (See also Federal Departments, Trump Cabinet)
2017.01.17Rebecca Leber: Tillerson only intends to stay away from State decisions benefiting Exxon for one year. twitter.com (See also Rex Tillerson, Trump Cabinet)
2017.01.18The Trump administration served a retraction request to CNN for a factual story regarding Tom Price profiting from trading stock in health-related companies that he was also sponsoring and advocating legislation. washingtonpost.com (See also Tom Price, Department of Health and Human Services, Attempts to Discredit Media)
2017.01.20ACLU has filed a Freedom of information Act request with the Office of Government Ethics regarding Trump's Conflicts of Interest. action.aclu.org
2017.01.20Betsy DeVos refuses to give up estimated $5-25 million financial stake in "brain performance" company Neurocore, whose legitimacy has been questioned by experts. nytimes.com (See also Betsy DeVos, Department of Education, Education, People with Disabilities, Americans with Disabilities)
2017.01.20From the moment he is sworn in Trump may be in violation of a lease with the federal government. nytimes.com
2017.01.20No evidence that Trump has transferred controls of his companies as he promised he'd do by inauguration. propublica.org
2017.01.20Trump continues to fall short on his promise to resign from his companies in Florida, Delaware and New York. propublica.org (See also First 100 Days, The Trump Organization)
2017.01.20Trump's golf course tweets congratulations for him becoming president after Trump's lawyer had previously promised that no company social media accounts would reference his office. washingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days, Trump Business)
2017.01.20White House website touts Melania Trump’s modeling and jewelry line on QVC (and later removes reference). washingtonpost.com (See also Melania Trump)
2017.01.21Justice department rules Trump has special hiring authority and therefore is not violating an anti-nepotism law in hiring his daughter's husband as an advisor. washingtonpost.com (See also Jared Kushner, Nepotism)
2017.01.22A team of prominent constitutional scholars, Supreme Court litigators and former White House ethics lawyers intends to file a lawsuit Monday morning alleging that President Trump is violating the Constitution by allowing his hotels and other business operations to accept payments from foreign governments. nytimes.com (See also Lawsuits, Constitutional Issues)
2017.01.22Group will sue Trump in federal court over payments he's receiving from foreign governments, arguing his refusal to divest from his businesses is unconstitutional. thehill.com
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2017.01.22Trump won’t release his tax returns because people don’t care and they voted for him, but 74 percent of Americans want him to do so. washingtonpost.com (See also Trump Taxes, False Statements)
2017.01.24Trump approves construction of both the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. npr.org (See also Environment, Native Americans, Canada)
2017.01.24Trump resigns as director of four Scottish golf firms. theguardian.com
2017.01.24Trump resurrects Keystone and DAPL. Trump has invested in Energy Transfer Partners the partner behind Dakota Access. theguardian.com (See also First 100 Days, Dakota Access Pipeline, Keystone XL Pipeline, Climate Change, NAFTA, Native Americans)
2017.01.24Trump signs executive orders to advance construction on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. cnbc.com (See also First 100 Days, Keystone XL Pipeline, Dakota Access Pipeline, Native Americans)
2017.01.25At least three of Donald Trump's foreign business partners received VIP treatment during the inauguration, meeting with his sons, staying at Trump hotel, and mingling with lawmakers and other guests on the Capitol Hill stairs. m.motherjones.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.01.25Goldman Sachs pays Trump's lead economic adviser $100 million. thehill.com (See also First 100 Days, Hypocrisy, Gary Cohn, National Economic Council)
2017.01.25Trump Hotels to triple US properties in defiance of 'no new deals' pledge. theguardian.com (See also The Trump Organization, Eric Trump, Trump Business)
2017.01.25Why Trump flouting decades-old norms of antitrust by directly speaking with the executives and troubling observers propublica.org (See also First 100 Days)
2017.01.26In sudden change, the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada switches meeting location, opting to rent event space at a Trump hotel. washingtonpost.com
The U.S. Chamber’s Canada-based chapter says that the decision was not political and that the newly opened Vancouver tower filled an immediate need.
2017.01.26Trump has installed a new leader for the General Services Administration who has to decide whether to evict him from his Washington hotel. politico.com (See also First 100 Days, General Services Administration)
2017.01.27Igor Sechin allegedly offered former Donald Trump ally Carter Page the brokerage of a 19% stake in Rosneft in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions. businessinsider.com (See also First 100 Days, Russia, Russian Meddling in Election)
2017.01.27Trump's immigration ban excludes countries where he has done business or pursued potential deals. bloomberg.com (See also Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Muslim Immigration Ban)
2017.01.28The executive action targets seven majority-Muslim countries, but not six others where the president's private businesses are engaged. npr.org (See also First 100 Days, Muslim Immigration Ban, Muslims, Trump Business)
2017.01.30Biomedical company officials say Tom Price was offered their stock at a discount, contrary to his congressional testimony. wsj.com (See also First 100 Days, Tom Price, Department of Health and Human Services)
2017.01.31Trump picks Gorsuch for Supreme Court with his sons sitting in the front row during the announcement. politico.com (See also First 100 Days, Supreme Court)
2017.02.01An ad from the hotel might give some people the impression that the White House is right next door. washingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days, The Trump Organization)
2017.02.01Democrats ask Pentagon to explain 2015 payment Flynn received from Russia, suggesting it may have violated the Constitution’s emoluments clause. washingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days, Russia, Department of Defense, Michael Flynn)
2017.02.02Ivanka Trump seeks ways to promote women in the workforce during D.C. soiree with business leaders. politico.com (See also Ivanka Trump, Women, Jobs)
2017.02.02Public-interest advocacy groups say the White House appears to be deliberately structuring Trump's growing roster of business-focused advisory groups in order to avoid becoming subject to a federal transparency law that requires such meetings be formally announced in advance and open to the public. politico.com (See also First 100 Days)
"We're very concerned about a larger pattern into which these meetings seem to fit," says a former ethics czar.
2017.02.02Trump promotes his TV show at the National Prayer Breakfast. theatlantic.com (See also Narcissism)
2017.02.03Ivanka Trump said she’d give up management of her businesses but hasn’t filed paperwork propublica.org (See also Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.03Ivanka Trump's products at Neiman Marcus are no longer online. fortune.com (See also Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.03Nordstrom Inc. will stop selling the controversial Ivanka Trump brand this season, a move that follows boycott threats and concerns about the first daughter’s conflicts of interest. bloomberg.com (See also Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.03Trump is getting payments from foreign governments and we have no idea what they are. washingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.02.03Trump will spend Saturday and Sunday nights attending private events where his presence, and the attendant press coverage of the president, stand to directly benefit the properties’ bottom lines. huffingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days, The Trump Organization)
2017.02.03Trump's trust documents reveal he is the beneficiary and remains closely tied to his business despite promises he would not exploit the Oval Office for his personal gain. nytimes.com (See also Trump Business)
2017.02.04Using a rarely invoked law that gives Congress the power to reverse regulations within 60 legislative days with a simple majority, the Republican-controlled Congress nullifies a measure intended to curb the venting of gas wells on federal lands, and begins rolling back other regulations, including one enacted to limit damage that coal mines cause to streams. nytimes.com (See also First 100 Days, Energy, Environment, Rex Tillerson)
2017.02.06TIME magazine outlines case for impeachment of Trump for violating emoluments clause of Constitution. time.com (See also Unpresidential Behavior, Corruption)
2017.02.07The US military is looking to lease space in Trump Tower to maintain necessary proximity with the 'nuclear football.' cnn.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.02.08Trump rips Nordstrom for dropping daughter Ivanka’s clothing line. thehill.com (See also Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.08Trump tweets on personal and POTUS accounts: "My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!" twitter.com (See also Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.09Citizens for responsibility and ethics in Washington files ethics complaints against Conway. citizensforethics.org (See also First 100 Days, Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.09Deutsche Bank is Trump’s largest lender and while the troubled bank has settled several of the charges against it, it’s still undergoing scrutiny by the Justice Department and other federal regulators and remains a conflict of interest. propublica.org (See also First 100 Days)
2017.02.09Jason Chaffetz and Elijah E. Cummings send letter to U.S. Office of Government Ethics regarding Kellyanne Conway's apparent ethics violation when she endorsed Ivanka Trump's products during an interview acting as Counselor to the President and requesting a recommendation of appropriate actions. oversight.house.gov
2017.02.09Kellyanne Conway 'counseled' after breaking ethics rules regarding public officials using their positions for the endorsement or private gain of people around them after plugging Ivanka Trump merchandise on Fox News. money.cnn.com (See also First 100 Days, Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.09Kellyanne Conway may have violated federal ethics rules on Thursday by urging people to buy fashion products marketed by Ivanka Trump, legal experts said. nytimes.com (See also First 100 Days, Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.09Nadler on House Judiciary Committee files a resolution of inquiry into Trump. countable.us (See also Unpresidential Behavior)
2017.02.09Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) filed a “resolution of inquiry,” a tactic used to force presidents and executive-branch agencies to share records with Congress, to force House debate on Trump’s alleged business conflicts and Russia ties. washingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days, Russia)
2017.02.09TJ Maxx and Marshalls ask employees to throw away Ivanka Trump signage. teenvogue.com (See also First 100 Days, Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.09Trump's golf date at his Mar-A-Lago resort with Japanese Prime Minister Abe raises ethical concerns. nbcnews.com (See also First 100 Days, Japan)
2017.02.09White House rebukes Kellyanne Conway for promoting Ivanka Trump products. theguardian.com (See also First 100 Days, Ivanka Trump)
2017.02.10Trump’s watered-down ethics rules let a lobbyist, Geoff Burr, help run the Department of Labor. In justifying this, the Trump administration cited a non-existent ethics rule. propublica.org (See also Department of Labor, First 100 Days, Ethics)
2017.02.10US investigators say they have corroborated some of the communications detailed in a 35-page dossier on Trump's relationship with Russia compiled by a former British intelligence agent. cnn.com (See also First 100 Days, Russia)
2017.02.12Sears, Kmart join other retailers in dropping Trump-branded items. washingtonpost.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.02.13Rep. Kevin Brady (R., Texas), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, brushed aside Democrats’ calls for a committee inquiry into President Trump’s taxes and conflicts of interest. blogs.wsj.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.02.14Government ethics director recommends investigation into actions of Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. politico.com (See also Ivanka Trump, First 100 Days)
2017.02.14House Oversight Committee chair is looking into Trump's security protocols at Mar-a-Lago after guests there witness and photograph classified meeting. politico.com (See also National Defense, Nuclear Weapons, First 100 Days)
2017.02.14Ways and Means Dems tweet: “By a vote of 23-15, Republicans just voted to not request President Trump's tax returns from the Treasury Department.” twitter.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.02.15Trump as POTUS reverses course on One China and suddenly, after more than 10 years of delays, China grants Trump trademarks in their country. twitter.com (See also China)
2017.02.16Deutsche Bank looks for evidence of whether loans to Trump were underpinned by guarantees from Moscow after Trump declares his intent to run for President. theguardian.com (See also Department of Justice, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Russia, The Trump Organization)
2017.02.16Trump's call to complain to Lockheed about F-35 jet costs in early January occurred with Boeing CEO in the room listening. bloomberg.com (See also Assaults on Government)
2017.02.21Richmond CA becomes the first city in the U.S. to call upon congress to impeach Trump after the City Council unanimously approves Trump impeachment resolution. abc7news.com (See also First 100 Days)
2017.02.26Philip Bilden withdraws from nomination as Secretary of the Navy to avoid conflicts of interest. nytimes.com (See also Trump Cabinet, Rejected or Withdrawn Appointments)
2017.03.01Lindsay Graham says he wants to require all 2020 presidential candidates to release their tax returns, including Trump if he runs for re-election. politico.com (See also First 100 Days, Trump Taxes)
2017.03.03Most of the steel for the Keystone XL and the Dakota Access pipeline projects appears to have been manufactured in Canada by a subsidiary of the Russian steel giant Evraz, not in America as directed in Trump's February 16 executive order. ecowatch.com (See also Keystone XL Pipeline, Dakota Access Pipeline)
2017.03.03Reps. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) join Democratic house members in signing a letter urging the chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee to ask for copies of Trump's tax documents from the last decade. thehill.com
2017.03.03The Trump campaign's national-security policy representative for the Republican National Convention, J.D. Gordon, admits that he pushed to alter an amendment to the GOP's draft policy on Ukraine at the Republican National Convention last year to further align it with President Donald Trump's views. businessinsider.com (See also Russia, Ukraine, Jeff Sessions)
2017.03.03The hiring of three former lobbyists to work in the White House raises questions about how the Trump administration is enforcing the president’s own executive order on ethics. propublica.org (See also First 100 Days)
2017.03.04Trump sons plan new hotel chain that would extend the company’s reach into dozens of cities, including locations where the Trumps made connections during their White House bid. washingtonpost.com (See also Eric Trump, Trump Business, Donald Trump Jr)
2017.03.05Trump reverses pledge to use U.S. Steel for Keystone Pipeline instead deciding to buy the steel from a Russian Billionaire Oligarch with close ties to Putin. huffingtonpost.com (See also Russia, First 100 Days, Keystone XL Pipeline, Dakota Access Pipeline, Trade, Promises vs Actions)
2017.03.08Ethics groups ask U.S. attorney in New York to investigate Trump for possible violations of the emoluments cause of the Constitution. washingtonpost.com (See also Trump Business)
2017.03.08Senators Warren, Carper and Cummings write to the White House Counsel asking for clarification on Jared Kushner’s compliance with conflict-of-interest laws. medium.com (See also First 100 Days, Jared Kushner)
2017.03.09Experts: IRS is extremely unlikely to leak Trump's income taxes. nytimes.com (See also Trump Taxes, Trump Relationship with Russia)
2017.03.09The Office of Government Ethics tells the Trump administration it has an “incorrect” view of ethics laws. npr.org (See also Kellyanne Conway, First 100 Days)
After Kellyanne Conway urged shoppers to buy Ivanka Trump's fashion line, the Office of Government Ethics urged punishment. The White House says the agency's rules don't apply to its workers.
2017.03.10Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who was fired from his White House job last month, retroactively registers with the Justice Department as a foreign agent who received over $500,000 for lobbying for Turkey. bigstory.ap.org (See also First 100 Days, Michael Flynn)
2017.03.13A hotel in Azerbaijan that Trump helped build appears to be a corrupt operation engineered by oligarchs tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. newyorker.com (See also The Trump Organization, Ivanka Trump, Iran, Azerbaijan, Corruption)
2017.03.13Jared Kushner set to get $400 Million from Chinese Firm investing in tower. bloomberg.com (See also Jared Kushner, China)
2017.03.13Trump's hotel in Azerbaijan is linked with corruption and Iran's Revolutionary Guard. newyorker.com (See also Trump Business, First 100 Days, Iran)
2017.03.14The White House says Trump earned more than $150 million in income and paid $38 million in taxes in 2005 in response to questions about the coming publication of his 2005 tax return by Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. cnn.com (See also First 100 Days, Taxes)
2017.03.14Trump is making it harder for foreign workers to get visas, but he makes an exception for workers at his club. newyorker.com (See also Immigration, Technology, First 100 Days)
The President has a dim view of extending visas to employees in the technology industry. But, when it comes to his club, it’s a different story.
2017.03.21Ivanka Trump gets taxpayer-funded office in West Wing, access to classified information, but has no official role in U.S. government. newsweek.com (See also Ivanka Trump)
2017.03.30Conflict of interest concerns surround Trump's discussions with a business partner over a potential federal infrastructure project, a high-speed train between California and Las Vegas. forbes.com (See also First 100 Days)
The project could pose major conflict of interest concerns for the president.
2017.04.04Trump can pull money from his businesses whenever he wants, without disclosing it. propublica.org (See also First 100 Days)
2017.04.18Ivanka Trump's company wins provisional approval from the Chinese government for three new trademarks during the Chinese president's U.S. visit. apnews.com (See also First 100 Days)
SHANGHAI (AP) — On April 6, Ivanka Trump's company won provisional approval from the Chinese government for three new trademarks, giving it monopoly rights to sell Ivanka brand je
2017.04.18Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns jeopardizes campaign promise to overhaul U.S. tax code by provoking concerns about potential tax benefits to him and his family. nytimes.com (See also Promises vs Actions, First 100 Days, Economy)
2017.06.13Since Trump won the Republican nomination, the majority of his companies' real estate sales are to secretive shell companies that obscure the buyers' identities. usatoday.com (See also Corruption, Unpresidential Behavior, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Legal Activity)
Profits from sales of those properties flow through a trust run by Trump's sons. Trump is the sole beneficiary of the trust and can withdraw cash at any time.
2017.06.14Nearly 200 Democratic members of Congress agreed to file a lawsuit Wednesday against Trump alleging that by retaining interests in a global business empire he has violated constitutional restrictions on taking gifts and benefits from foreign leaders. washingtonpost.com (See also Legal Activity, Lawsuits)
2017.06.14The special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 election is interviewing senior intelligence officials as part of a widening probe that now includes an examination of whether Trump attempted to obstruct justice. washingtonpost.com (See also Legal Activity, Russian Meddling in Election, Constitutional Issues, Corruption, Trump Relationship with Russia)
2017.06.15A recent NSA memo documents a phone call in which Trump pressured agency chief Admiral Mike Rogers to state publicly that there is no evidence of collusion between his campaign and Russia. newsweek.com (See also Corruption, Legal Activity, Russian Meddling in Election, Trump Relationship with Russia)
2017.06.15Paul Manafort is at the center of an FBI investigation into ties between Trump’s team and the Russians, but that hasn’t stopped him from doing business with international figures and companies, partly by claiming continued access to Trump. politico.com (See also Corruption, Russia, Trump Relationship with Russia, Legal Activity, China, Foreign Policy)
2017.06.16By rolling back Obama-era policies that allowed more private business investment in Cuba, Trump undermines a growth area for his hotel and resort competitors who have raced in recent years to establish a foothold in a lucrative new market. washingtonpost.com (See also Foreign Policy, Eric Trump, Cuba)
2017.06.17In the feud among nations in the Persian Gulf, Trump has supported those with which he does business, criticizing Qatar, differing sharply from the positions of the Pentagon and State Department. nytimes.com (See also Corruption, Saudi Arabia, Foreign Policy, Rex Tillerson, Department of State)
2017.06.20Trump’s budget calls for sharply reducing funding for programs that shelter the poor and combat homelessness — with a notable exception: It leaves intact a type of federal housing subsidy that is paid directly to private landlords like Trump himself. washingtonpost.com (See also Department of Housing and Urban Development, Housing)
2017.06.21The Trump International Hotel will be the location of a June 28 major-donor event, raising ethics questions as Turmp uses his presidency and candidacy to enrich himself. apnews.com (See also Unpresidential Behavior)
U.S. Office of Government Ethics 18 U.S. Code § 216 - Penalties and injunctions law.cornell.edu
Prior Provisions A prior section 216, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 695, § 216, formerly § 221, amended Aug. 21, 1958, Pub. L. 85–699, title VII, § 702(a)–(c), 72 Stat. 698; Aug. 18, 1959, Pub...
U.S. Office of Government Ethics | 18 U.S.C. § 208: Acts affecting a personal financial interest oge.gov
The basic criminal conflict of interest statute, prohibits an executive branch employee from participating personally personally and substantially in a particular Government matter that will affect his own financial interests, as well as...

Further research

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