Administration

‘Crime scene’ projected onto Trump hotel

A “crime scene” warning was projected Wednesday night onto the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. 

The projection included the words “Crime Scene — Do Not Enter” displayed on a yellow background.

It also included the phrase “It’s Stormy Out,” a reference to the ongoing controversy over Stormy Daniels, an adult-film actress who claims she had an affair with President Trump more than a decade ago.

It also used the phrases “Conflict of Interest Zone” and “Investigate Trump.”

The projection came after a federal judge on Wednesday rejected Trump’s push to dismiss a lawsuit accusing him of violating the Constitution by collecting profits from his luxury hotel in the nation’s capital.

U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte shot down the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the lawsuit, which argued the plaintiffs had no legal standing to sue. The judge, based in Greenbelt, Md., said he will schedule another hearing to weigh the administration’s other claims. 

The decision is a blow to Trump, who has long claimed that his business arrangements are legal and do not pose a conflict of interest. 

Critics say that Trump is violating the emoluments clause, which bans presidents from receiving gifts or payments from foreign governments without Congress’s explicit approval.

After the 2016 presidential election, Trump broke with precedent by refusing to divest in his business. He instead placed his assets in a trust controlled by his two adult sons.

The pointed projection also comes amid special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference and possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

This is not the first time phrases have been projected on the hotel. In January, the world “shithole” was projected onto the D.C. hotel after reports that Trump had referred to Haiti, El Salvador and African nations as “shithole countries.”

Last year, the words “Pay Trump Bribes Here” and the Constitution’s emoluments clause were both projected in one evening.

Washington, D.C.-based artist Robin Bell typically claims credit for the projections. Bell tweeted the “Crime Scene” projection on Wednesday night.