Statement: GSA Ruling Giving Trump a Pass on Trump International Hotel is Nonsense

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The General Services Administration ruled today that the lease for the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC has not been violated by Trump becoming president.

The lease, however, prevents any federal official from benefiting from the lease and President Trump, in fact, will benefit from the lease.

The GSA ruling is a tortured reading of the lease.

While an agreement now provides that during Trump’s presidency the profits from the hotel will accrue to the hotel and not be paid out, Trump still remains the owner of the hotel. The hotel profits will accrue to Trump’s benefit as the owner of the hotel and thus “benefits” will accrue to Trump in violation of the provisions of the lease.

The GSA ruling is nonsense.