Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – The U.S. House Democrats reveal that businesses associated with former President Donald Trump received a minimum of $7.8 million in payments from foreign governments, including $154,750 from Afghanistan, during his tenure.
The findings, based on a 156-page report titled “White House for Sale: How Princes, Prime Ministers, and Premiers Paid Off President Trump,” draw on 451 pages of documents from Trump’s accounting firm Mazars and a federal agency.
The report alleges that Trump-owned properties, such as Trump hotels in Washington, Las Vegas, and New York, along with Trump Tower in Manhattan, collected millions in payments from foreign governments and officials. Democrats argue that these payments violate the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, prohibiting federal officials from accepting such benefits without congressional approval.
Despite Trump’s delegation of day-to-day business operations to his sons, he maintained personal ownership, allowing him to draw funds without disclosure. The report emphasizes that this arrangement strengthened his ties to his businesses, allowing him to prioritize personal interests over national ones.
China emerged as the largest contributor to these payments, totaling nearly $5.6 million, followed by Saudi Arabia, which spent over $615,000 at Trump properties. The report details Trump’s favorable stance towards Saudi Arabia, citing his praise and transactional relationships. The Democrats highlight Trump’s consequential decisions on U.S. policy towards Saudi Arabia while receiving payments from the government.
Qatar, with $465,744 spent at Trump World Tower, and payments from other countries, including Kuwait, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the UAE, are also noted in the report. Democrats acknowledge that the disclosed foreign payments likely represent only a fraction of the total received during Trump’s presidency.
