NEW YORK — A recent report published by the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee reveals an intricate web of financial transactions that occurred at Donald Trump’s Washington, D.C. hotel during his presidency. This included significant spending from various groups, such as judges aiming for federal appointments, affluent Republican supporters desiring ambassadorships, and individuals seeking presidential pardons. The findings, outlined in a detailed 57-page document, suggest that Trump’s time in office transformed him into a profit-making figure, raising concerns about potential “pay to play” practices if he were to be reelected next month.
The report specifically highlights spending by U.S. officials rather than foreign governments and primarily covers an 11-month window from 2017 to 2018. Despite this focus, it provides limited new information compared to previous reports, as it surveyed a confined range of financial activities. According to the committee, an estimated $300,000 was spent at the Trump hotel during this period by 16 federal and state officials. However, it remains unclear whether the payments originated from personal funds or taxpayer sources, a distinction crucial for assessing adherence to the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which prohibits presidents from accepting payments or gifts from government officials without congressional consent.
Several noteworthy instances were mentioned in the report. For example, two ambassadors—one later appointed to Germany and the other to Switzerland—reportedly spent thousands at the Trump hotel before and after their confirmations. Furthermore, campaign fundraiser Elliott Broidy spent over $15,000 at the hotel prior to receiving a pardon from Trump for illegal lobbying.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the committee, emphasized the need for legislative measures to avert future corruption, stating, “We must put legal barriers in place now to prevent the kind of rip-off corruption our Founding Fathers so strongly opposed.”
In response, the Trump Organization dismissed the report as a “desperate act” by Democrats in a challenging election season. The Republican-controlled Oversight Committee echoed this sentiment, characterizing the report as “more recycled garbage” stemming from an extended investigation into Trump.
The findings are based on financial records provided by Trump’s former accounting firm, Mazars, at the request of the Oversight Committee during the prior Democratic administration. The flow of these documents ceased when Republicans regained control in 2023. The report indicates that a minimum of 16 federal and state officials spent upwards of $100,000 at Trump International Hotel while in office, suggesting possible misuse of taxpayer funds. Embassy officials from Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, and the United Kingdom often chose to visit the hotel during official travels.
Specifically, during a conference in Maryland in 2018, U.S. ambassadors to Germany, Switzerland, and Canada opted to stay at Trump’s hotel, despite the availability of closer accommodations. Former Canadian Ambassador Kelly Craft was quoted in an email favoring the Trump hotel, where her stay reportedly cost $1,395 per night. In another example, former German Ambassador Richard Grenell spent almost $10,000 over 19 nights at the hotel, with a significant portion of his stay occurring before his confirmation.
Craft’s spokesperson asserted that the former ambassador personally covered any expenses exceeding government-approved rates and maintained that there was no indication of “pay to play” dealings associated with Trump. Grenell has not yet issued a comment regarding the findings.
The Trump administration has consistently argued that payments from government officials for services or accommodations do not constitute gifts under the emoluments clause. The Supreme Court, however, chose not to rule on the matter when it was brought before them in 2021 after Trump left office.
Additionally, the report identifies four prospective federal judges who stayed at the hotel during significant periods relating to their nominations and confirmations. The spending patterns among those pardoned by Trump included $6,000 from others besides Broidy, who were similarly seeking clemency.
Notably, the report sheds light on a previous Oversight Committee finding from 2022, which indicated that Trump’s company arranged for the Secret Service to pay for accommodations at his properties that exceeded standard government rates. This occurred over 40 times, including instances where room charges topped $1,200 per night while agents were tasked with protecting Trump and his family. Previously, it was claimed that the Secret Service received accommodations at nominal rates or for free.
Moreover, earlier reports stated that foreign governments and officials from 20 different countries expended nearly $8 million at Trump properties, much of which coincided with pivotal discussions regarding U.S. policy decisions. Trump’s company invested about $200 million in converting the historic Old Post Office building into a hotel after signing a lease agreement in 2012. The hotel was sold to a Miami-based investment firm in 2022 for $375 million and currently operates as a Waldorf Astoria.