A resolution condemning the private business agreements of President Donald J. Trump with foreign governments for posing unacceptable conflicts of interest, affirming such agreements violate the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution of the United States, and demanding the transfer of any proceeds from such agreements to the United States Government.

Bill: 119-sres-242
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2025-05-21
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2025-05-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text: CR S3064)

Summaries:

tv_txt: III 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 242 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 21, 2025 Mr. Blumenthal submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs RESOLUTION Condemning the private business agreements of President Donald J. Trump with foreign governments for posing unacceptable conflicts of interest, affirming such agreements violate the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution of the United States, and demanding the transfer of any proceeds from such agreements to the United States Government.

Whereas President Donald J. Trump has pursued numerous new business deals with foreign states that will generate millions of dollars of revenue for President Trump and the Trump family; Whereas LIV Golf, which is backed by the Government of Saudi Arabia, hosted a tournament at Trump National Doral Resort in April 2025; Whereas the Trump Organization is designing a Trump-branded hotel, golf course, and golf club on government-owned land in Oman and with a Saudi Arabian real estate firm that has close ties to the Government of Saudi Arabia; Whereas the Trump Organization has already received not less than $5,000,000 from the Trump-branded hotel deal in Oman; Whereas the Trump Organization plans to build a $500,000,000 luxury residential and commercial complex and Trump International Hotel on government-owned land in Serbia; Whereas the Trump Organization has signed a $5,500,000,000 deal with a Qatari government-owned firm and a Saudi Arabian company with close ties to the Government of Saudi Arabia to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, including Trump-branded beachside villas and an 18-hole golf course; Whereas President Trump recently completed a 4-day tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates; Whereas, prior to the 4-day tour, the sons of President Trump had traveled through the Middle East to pursue and announce a flurry of new deals for the Trump Organization, including a residential tower in Saudi Arabia and a hotel in Dubai; Whereas President Trump has refused to divest from his financial interests and remains an owner of the Trump Organization; Whereas engaging in private business transactions with a foreign government, and the acceptance of substantial payments and benefits from a foreign government, could unduly influence the foreign policies of the United States; Whereas the Foreign Emoluments Clause contained in clause 8 of section 9 of article I of the Constitution of the United States provides that no present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind, may be accepted by the President of the United States from a king, prince, or foreign state without the consent of Congress; Whereas the Founders included the Foreign Emoluments Clause in the Constitution of the United States, by unanimous agreement of the State delegations, to ensure the President would remain loyal to the Nation and the public interest; Whereas the Foreign Emoluments Clause has long been understood to be directed against every kind of influence by foreign governments upon officers of the United States, in the absence of consent by Congress ; Whereas the President of the United States has a constitutional and statutory obligation to uphold the public trust; and Whereas the violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution of the United States undermines public trust and the integrity of public office in the United States: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) condemns the private business agreements of President Donald J. Trump with foreign governments for posing unacceptable conflicts of interest; (2) affirms that any such agreements are violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution of the United States because President Donald J. Trump did not seek the consent of Congress for any such agreements; and (3) demands the transfer of any proceeds from any such agreements nevertheless received by President Donald J. Trump in violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause contained in clause 8 of section 9 of article I of the Constitution of the United States to the United States Government.