"They’ll say that
somebody from some country stayed at a hotel. And I’ll say 'Yeah.'"
President Donald Trump
acknowledges that foreign leaders sometimes rent out rooms in his hotels, but
still thinks being president of the United States is “one of the great losers
of all times” from a financial perspective.
Trump made the remarks
in an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, complaining that the job
of being president does not boost his economic prospects.
“This job is from an economic — you know, I get a kick out of these people saying ‘Oh, a rich Arab stayed at his hotel,’ you know, I’ll bet you between opportunity cost and actual cost, you know but I lost massive amounts of money doing this job. This is not the money. This is, this is one of the great losers of all time. You know fortunately I don’t need money. This is one of the great losers of all time. But they’ll say that somebody from some country stayed at a hotel. And I’ll say ‘Yeah.’ But I lose, I mean, the numbers are incredible.”
Trump made the comments
after complaining that he is treated badly by the press. In the excerpts
released from the Times interview, Trump did not elaborate further on just how
much money he believes he should make off the presidency.
The Kuwaiti embassy held
an independence day party at the hotel in both 2018 and 2017. The Philippines’
independence day party was also hosted at the hotel last year.
In 2016, after Trump won the presidential election, the hotel hosted the embassy of Bahrain’s national day party, as well as a Hanukkah party co-hosted by the embassy of Azerbaijan.
In 2016, after Trump won the presidential election, the hotel hosted the embassy of Bahrain’s national day party, as well as a Hanukkah party co-hosted by the embassy of Azerbaijan.
In 2017, the former
Mexican ambassador said that a former U.S. diplomat told him the State
Department was advising world leaders to stay at Trump’s Washington, D.C. hotel
when they visit the capital for official purposes.
Trump has a long
business relationship with the Saudi government that has continued into his
presidency. The Washington Post reported last month that lobbyists for the
Saudi government paid for about 500 nights at
the Trump hotel in the three months following Trump’s 2016
victory.
The general manager at Trump’s hotel in New York — which the Trump Organization manages — credited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his entourage for the sharp uptick in the hotel’s revenue in early 2018.
The general manager at Trump’s hotel in New York — which the Trump Organization manages — credited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his entourage for the sharp uptick in the hotel’s revenue in early 2018.
Maryland and District of
Columbia attorneys general have brought forward a lawsuit arguing that Trump is
violating the Constitution by continuing to do business with foreign
governments as president.
The Constitution’s emoluments clause bans public officials from accepting “any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” The case is currently tied up in court.
The Constitution’s emoluments clause bans public officials from accepting “any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” The case is currently tied up in court.
An inspector general
report last month found that the General Services Administration overlooked the
emoluments clause when it allowed Trump to keep the lease at his hotel in
Washington, D.C., following his presidential win.