Trump Camp: “Revenue from personal business, not election campaign”
“No precedent in modern history of using election for personal profit”
Trump Camp claims “first president to see decline in assets while in office”,
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, is waving to the audience after giving a speech at the New York Economic Club on the 5th. New York=AP Yonhap News,
,
, ‘Critics have raised concerns that former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has been using this election as a money-making opportunity by venturing into digital trading card sales, in addition to selling sneakers, books, and suits through his personal business. Not only is he selling memorabilia at high prices through his personal business, but he is also not using the profits for his election campaign.’,
,
, ‘According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 8th (local time), former President Trump has been making significant profits during the election campaign period by entering into licensing agreements that allow the use of his name and image on various products, as well as by selling books.’,
,
, ‘At the end of last month, he released a collection of digital cards featuring his image. These cards, in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), consist of 50 different types, and are priced at $99 each. If you purchase more than 15 cards, you can receive a physical card that includes a piece of suit worn by former President Trump during a TV debate with President Joe Biden in late June. For $7,425, you can buy 75 cards and also receive an invitation to a dinner held at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Former President Trump is promoting card sales by saying, “Let’s enjoy together.” ‘,
,
, ‘On the 3rd of this month, sales of a photo book titled “Save America,” which includes key scenes from former President Trump’s term in office (January 2017 to January 2021), began. The book is priced at $99, but a signed copy by former President Trump costs a whopping $499. In addition, various products such as golf shoes, perfumes, coolers, and sandals bearing his name are being sold. The WP pointed out that the profits from card and book sales are not flowing into former President Trump’s election campaign, but into his personal business, stating, “No previous presidential candidate has so closely intertwined their election with profit-seeking business ventures.” ‘,
,
, ‘While other former presidents have raised revenue through book sales, speeches, serving on corporate boards, etc., it is difficult to find cases where they have entered into large-scale licensing agreements or integrated their election campaign with personal business to the extent former President Trump has. Don Fox, the acting head of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), told the WP, “There is no precedent in history for a president or presidential candidate using their office or campaign for profit like Trump. Especially in modern history, this is even more rare.” ‘,
,
, ‘The Republican Party has responded that there is no problem with this. A spokesperson for the Trump camp, Caroline, told the WP, “Former President Trump left behind his multi-billion-dollar real estate empire to run for president, donated his presidential salary, and was the first president to actually see a decline in total asset value during his term in office.” ‘,
,
,