In a scathing New York Times essay, three top ethics officials from the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations accused Trump of abusing the Constitution in “the most brazen of ways.”
They’re not just talking about the $400 million plane deal with Qatar. They say Trump’s latest crypto scheme might be “even worse.”
“This is a gift to him”
First, the plane. Trump’s team claims it’s all legal because “the United States” — not Trump — is receiving the aircraft. His White House counsel and attorney general signed off on it.
But ethics experts Norman Eisen, Virginia Canter, and Richard Painter aren’t buying it.
“Mr. Trump would be personally benefiting from the use of the plane while in office,” they wrote. “This is a gift to him, notwithstanding the rationalizations offered by administration lawyers.”
Crypto cash from foreign governments
Their bigger concern: Trump’s cryptocurrency ventures — especially the $TRUMP meme coin.
The coin is managed by Trump’s sons, Don Jr. and Eric, under a company called World Liberty Financial. The lawyers warn that foreign governments now have a “virtually limitless opportunity” to funnel money directly to Trump.
“This also runs afoul of the foreign emoluments clause,” they said. “And it captures why we have these rules in the first place. The conflict of interest is clear. How can we trust someone who is in charge of regulating crypto if he could benefit from lax regulation?”
Pay-to-play dinners and White House access
It doesn’t stop there. Trump is offering top coin buyers exclusive perks — including dinner with him.
“Stunts like giving the top buyers of his $Trump meme coin personal access to him at a private dinner” show how deep the problem goes.
The attorneys also accused Trump of putting “White House entry up for sale,” claiming that high-dollar donors have been offered private tours.
Yes, other presidents gave access to donors — “Donor sleepovers in the Lincoln Bedroom during the Clinton administration come to mind,” they admitted.
But they say Trump’s actions are in another league.
“The American people should make their disgust known. There is no room for this kind of flagrant disregard of the Constitution in the skies above or in digital wallets down below.”
