President-elect Donald Trump announced on Twitter that he’s finally going to give up control of his numerous business ventures and focus solely on the job of being president.
Since the election, legal experts have been demanding Trump place his businesses into a “blind trust,” meaning Trump would no longer have any control or input into how his companies are run; they would be entirely autonomous enterprises operated by a third (unrelated) party. Instead, he handed them over to his children, a group of people whom he also wants close to him in the White House…
Giving control of your business to your heirs who are also your closest political advisors does not eliminate any conflicts of interest.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) November 30, 2016
But just making the effort to detach himself from his businesses at all is worth something right? Well, Trump wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to squander even a semblance of being presidential.
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
Did you notice how Trump took the time to remind everyone that he’s not obligated “under the law” to remove any potential ethical concerns from his presidency?
The statement, “While I am not mandated to do this under the law,” highlights the astounding level of contempt Trump has for the American public. Trump honestly wanted Americans to know how lucky they are that he’s such a generous guy because he is begrudgingly giving up control his businesses to do the job he was elected by over 59 million people to do.
This guy is such an insecure little boy that he simply can not pass up an opportunity to pat himself on the back.
Also take note that he said he feels that it’s “visually important” to not have a conflict of interest. Visually important. While he could be acknowledging how shady it looks for him to run a business out of the White House, those two words could also indicate a little legal “wiggle room” if he decided to keep control of part of his business.
But the problem with Trump is that it’s almost pointless to read into anything he says because it can change within a few hours, because he’s in the manufactured reality business as well.
After four years, even if he landed America in a second Great Depression, Trump would probably be offended if there weren’t any plans for adding his likeness to Mount Rushmore.
At home, he probably brags to Melania every time he puts the toilet seat down.
Featured image via Ralph Freso/Getty Images
