Let’s see how this works.
Donald J. Trump has announced that his eldest children — Ivanka, Donald Jr. and Eric — are going to run his business empire. They also are going to become major advisers in the president-elect’s transition from private citizen to holder of the world’s most powerful public office.
Is there a serious conflict of interest building that’s been lost on the president-elect?
Others who have been elected to this particular office have placed their business interests into what’s called “blind trusts.” I think of former President Jimmy Carter, who ranĀ his family’sĀ peanut business in Georgia before he was elected president in 1976. President Carter let go of all interest in the business while he served for four years as the leader of the Free World.
Trump has said he would put his business interests into a blind trust if he were elected. That’s fine. Then how does he divorce himself completely from those interests when his children play this precarious dual role: business administratorsĀ while taking part in the formation of a new government apparatus?
Trump isn’t putting that kind of distance, it appears, between himself and his myriad business interests.
The notion that his kids will have a say in selecting Dad’s administrative team as well also seems to cross the line that’s supposed to separate the head of government from his massive business.
What am I not getting here?