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In a move perhaps more reminiscent of his time as a reality TV star, President Trump crushed a wedding in New Jersey (again) this weekend. A video taken by a guest shows the president surprising the couple in one of his luxury properties, Trump National Golf Club, in Bedminster, New Jersey.
In the clip posted by TMZ, he tells someone behind the camera to "take care of [the couple]", before shaking hands with the groom, and, to the shouts of joy from the guests, d & # 39; Kiss the bride on the cheek. A guest shouts, "We love you!" as the president and the first lady Melania Trump go upstairs.
This is not the first time Trump has been an unexpected guest at organized weddings on his properties. In August 2017, at another wedding at the Trump National Golf Club, members of the Secret Service first secured an area, before the president arrived to take pictures with the couple, sign hats " Make America Great Again "and distribute them to guests. apparently sung, "USA!"
The potential appearance of the president seems to have been a selling point for his properties as wedding venues. According to an abandoned pamphlet obtained by The New York Times, "If [Trump] is on hand for your big day, he will probably stop and congratulate the happy couple. He can take pictures with you but we ask you and your guests to be respectful of his time and his private life. "
The appearances of Trump – whether planned or not – are clearly a treat for the guests of his estates, and raise questions as to whether he uses his stature as president For the benefit of its private business interests, critics have said that Trump's decision to entrust his children, Eric and Donald Jr., with the sale of the property, was a conflict of interest. [19659002] The president's complex business network, his real estate, his licensing agreements, etc. was a point of contention during his 2016 presidential campaign. All presidents – with the exception of Trump – since the 1970s voluntarily gave up control over their private companies, to avoid even the suggestion of corruption.
"The law is totally on my side", Trump says The New York Times shortly after his election "The President can not have a conflict of interest."
This is not technically true. The president and vice president are exempt from the conflict of interest laws on the theory that almost any executive action would pose a kind of conflict. However, according to a 2016 Congressional Research Service report, "As a general rule, executive officials are subject to criminal penalties if they personally and substantially participate in cases in which they (or their immediate families, business partners or "
Mark Wilson / Images / Getty Images / Getty Images
During the election campaign, Trump asserted that he would not be involved in his business interests because," I would not care about anything but our However, many accusations of conflict have emerged since he began his tenure, alleging that he has not exactly kept his promise.
According to a Public Citizen report from 2018, since Trump took office, more than 60 companies, trade groups, foreign governments, religious organizations and charities have resided. or have organized events in the Trump properties. Government officials from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Kuwait, in particular, reportedly used the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, for events.
Shortly after the 2016 election, Ivanka Trump received criticism for having promoted her brand in a political context when her brand announced a $ 10,800 bracelet that she wore at the time of her birthday. 39, a 60-minute interview with his first family. After the inauguration, the seaside resort of the president, Mar-a-Lago, doubled its entrance fee to $ 200,000.
Trump's comrade at Bedminster's wedding was impromptu or not, the implications of his appearance – and what they mean for the future conflicts of interest and executive power – go well beyond jokes and congratulatory words.
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