In a letter sent today, six Democratic senators have demanded Trump account for financial ties between the Trump Organization and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The letter notes that the Trump Organization “for decades has maintained business relationships with the government of Saudi Arabia and with members of the Saudi royal family.” The letter notes some specific incidents, such as a yacht that Donald Trump sold to a Saudi prince, an entire floor of Trump Tower leased the Saudi government, and a whopping $325 million to buy the failing Plaza Hotel.
The letter demands “all documents pertaining to investments, payments or other financial transfers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including members of the Saudi royal family and other Saudi nationals” to the Trump Organization over the last ten years. It also asks for information about discussions Trump may have had about investments in Saudi Arabia, potential Saudi investments in Trump properties, and any “gifts” that Trump or others in the organizations may have received from Saudi nationals. Finally, it asks that Trump suspend any business dealings with Saudi Arabia until the results of a Magnitsky Investigation invoked by a bipartisan group of senators is complete.
Signers of the letter are Tom Udall, Dick Durbin, Corey Booker, Patrick Leahy, Elizabeth Warren, and Martin Heinrich.
As with most such letters, Trump is likely to send it directly to the circular file. He’s still trying to pass along the myth of a giant arms deal complete with some random number of jobs rather than admit that closing his eyes to Saudi actions is all about protecting his own pocketbook.