Trump Hosts LIV Golf in Virginia, Renewing Scrutiny Over Conflicts of Interest

President Donald Trump hosted a LIV Golf event at his Virginia property this weekend, renewing scrutiny over whether the Trump family is financially benefiting from his time in office while supporting a golf league backed by a government accused of human rights abuses.

“Experts are raising conflict-of-interest and ethical concerns after President Donald Trump hosted a LIV Golf event at his Virginia property this weekend, renewing scrutiny over whether the Trump family is financially benefiting from his time in office while supporting a golf league backed by a government accused of human rights abuses”

CNN

CNN reports that Saudi Arabia’s government is the chief backer of LIV and that Saudi Arabia announced last month it will stop funding the league after the 2026 season.

CNN

CNN also quotes Kathleen Clark, a law professor in government ethics at Washington University in St. Louis, saying, "Saudi Arabia is a murderous, authoritarian, anti-democratic region,".

CNN adds that Trump has spent the past two weekends attending professional tour events at courses he owns, including last week’s PGA Tour stop in Doral, Florida, and this weekend’s LIV event in Sterling, Virginia.

CNN says several ethics experts who spoke to the network are wary of Trump hosting these golf tournaments at his properties because there is little transparency around how much financial compensation his family is obtaining.

CNN quotes White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly saying, "President Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children," and adds that she said, "There are no conflicts of interest."

Euractiv FR

CNN also includes Richard Painter’s warning that the conflicts go beyond golf tournaments, quoting him: "This is just going to be the tip of the iceberg."

CNN further reports that on the crypto investors’ dinner, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters last year it was "absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency."

CNN says critics argue Trump has blended his business interests with the presidency by having his administration accept a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar, dining with wealthy investors in his cryptocurrency coin, selling a Trump-branded smartphone, promoting his Scotland golf properties, and more.

“Conflicts of Interest of the American President: Make Trump Rich Again — by Eric Le Boucher At the start of his first term, in January 2017, Donald Trump pledged to derive no personal benefit from his office, a statement in line with presidential ethics in the United States as in any country”

l'Opinion

CNN reports that during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House last year, Trump dismissed a question about Khashoggi’s murder, claiming the journalist was "extremely controversial" and insisting a reporter raised the subject to embarrass the crown prince.

CNN also states that the Saudi Foreign Ministry released a statement in 2021 saying the country "completely rejects the negative, false and unacceptable assessment" in the report pertaining to the Kingdom’s leadership.

CNN notes that LIV and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund did not respond to a request for comment, while the scrutiny centers on whether Trump’s hosting of LIV at his properties involves financial benefit and transparency issues.