In a series of early-morning tweets on Wednesday, Donald Trump said that he has plans to completely leave his business, which he will announce in a news conference on Dec. 15.
I will be holding a major news conference in New York City with my children on December 15 to discuss the fact that I will be leaving my …
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016
great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! While I am not mandated to ….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016
do this under the law, I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016
Hence, legal documents are being crafted which take me completely out of business operations. The Presidency is a far more important task!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016
Trump has said that he will leave his companies to his children, not to a blind trust, raising concerns that he will still be aware of his business’ interests while serving as president. His tweets leave it unclear just how far removed he will be from his business.
Trump has already mixed business into his work as president-elect. He reportedly mentioned his building in Buenos Aires during a phone call with Argentina’s president Mauricio Macri. He asked members of the Brexit movement to oppose wind farms in the United Kingdom. And Ivanka Trump sat in on a meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister.
