It occurs to me that we in the uproar over President Trump’s business holdings and the Foreign Emoluments clause of the Constitution, the reverse problem has been under-emphasized. And this is the perfect time to consider it. Not sure what I mean?
Suppose President Trump really goes through with the tariffs. Things are going swimmingly, President Trump thinks, why all those arrogant foreigners are so pissed off I must have done something right!
And then comes the news … Jared Kushner comes rushing into the Oval Office with the report … that wonderful Trump Tower you built overseas, so much money invested, so wonderful, biggest in the world, going to make you so much money, Papa? Why, those damn foreigners just nationalized it!
And then the tariffs go away a day later.
See, it’s not just corruption to accept foreign emoluments. It’s also vulnerability, the possibility that a foreign power will threaten a business interest and thus modify the President’s thinking because now he’s personally threatened. This is another reason the guy in the Oval Office must shed those things that make him vulnerable.
And this should be talked about more. It’s too late for Trump, but for the future we should be clear on the stupidity of Trump for not shedding his business ties.
