Dem offers bill to prevent taxpayer funds from benefiting Trump businesses

Legislation introduced in the House on Thursday would prevent the use of taxpayer funds to pay for any expenses at places owned by President Trump and his family.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) effectively named his bill after Trump: the No Taxpayer Revenue Used to Monetize the Presidency (No TRUMP) Act.

The measure is unlikely to go anywhere in the GOP-controlled House. But if enacted, it would forbid taxpayer money from being used to pay for events, overnight stays and other expenses at hotels owned or operated by the president or his relatives. 

{mosads}It would offer an exception, however, for the Secret Service to protect presidential residences.  

Blumenauer said the legislation would ensure Trump’s businesses don’t benefit financially from the presidency.

“Trump and his family are riddled with conflicts of interests. Putting a strain on government resources for Trump to hold meetings with U.S. officials at Mar-a-Lago or for the Trump children to travel the world to promote the family business are just more examples,” Blumenauer said.

Trump has spent nearly a quarter of his presidency so far at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., traveling there during four of the seven weekends since he took office in January.

He hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Mar-a-Lago last month, which he reportedly personally paid for.

Amid concerns about potential conflicts of interest, Trump said before taking office that he would donate money spent by foreign governments at his hotels to the Treasury Department.

One of Trump’s sons, Eric, made a business trip to Uruguay in January that cost taxpayers nearly $100,000 to put Secret Service and embassy staffers in hotel rooms.  

Eric Trump met with real estate brokers and spoke at a party at Trump Tower Punta del Este during his Trump Organization promotional trip, according to The Washington Post.