Photo: Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Trump Organization is considering selling the rights to the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., reports the Wall Street Journal.
The big picture: Eric Trump, President Trump's son and an executive vice president of the family business, told the WSJ that the move is in part fueled by criticism surrounding the family profiting from the property during Trump's presidency.
- The Constitution bans presidents from receiving payments from foreign and domestic officials under its emoluments clause. This has sparked concerns because the hotel has become the center of Trumpworld in D.C.
- Trump has received criticism for placing his sons in charge of a trust running his businesses rather than following precedent by selling them off.
- "People are objecting to us making so much money on the hotel, and therefore we may be willing to sell,” Eric Trump said. "Since we opened our doors, we have received tremendous interest in this hotel and as real-estate developers, we are always willing to explore our options."
The backdrop: The House Transportation Committee subpoenaed the General Services Administration for documents relating to the hotel's lease this week. And earlier this month, an appeals court revived an emoluments lawsuit against the president regarding the hotel.
- Trump recently walked back plans to hold next year's G7 summit at another of his properties, the Trump National Doral near Miami, Fla., after a wave of bipartisan criticism over the decision.
- That led Trump to brand the emoluments clause as "phony" during a Cabinet meeting this week.
Go deeper ... Mulvaney: Trump was "honestly surprised" at level of backlash over G7 decision