Taxpayers' cost for Trump Jr.'s business trip to India nearly $100K, documents show

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Washington Post

National

Taxpayers’ cost for Trump Jr.'s business trip to India nearly $100K, documents show

By Annie Gowen
November 15 at 11:58 AM

Donald Trump Jr.’s lavish trip to India to sell his family’s luxury condominium projects cost U.S. taxpayers nearly $100,000, documents obtained by The Washington Post show.

The Department of Homeland Security, responding to a Freedom of Information request, released 47 pages of purchase orders, requisition forms and planning work sheets showing Trump Jr.’s February trip cost more than $97,805 for hotel rooms, airfare, car rental and overtime for Secret Service agents. The costs were incurred on a February tour of four Indian cities — New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata — where the Trump family has licensed its name to luxury high-rise projects.
....

During his tour, Trump Jr. walked the red carpet, attended a ribbon cutting at a high-rise overlooking the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, hosted champagne dinners for buyers and had a private tete-a-tete with India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Full-page glossy newspaper ads offered those who put down a $38,000 deposit of a new luxury project outside Delhi a chance to dine with the president’s son, prompting charges of conflict of interest. His team boasted to reporters they had sold $100 million worth of the pricey flats, including $15 million in a single day.
....

The government spent a similar amount — about $97,830 — for hotel stays for Secret Service and embassy staffers for Eric’s trip last year to Uruguay, a Post review of purchasing orders found last year. Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington released a report in July that shows the Secret Service spent $200,000 on airfare, hotel rooms and other expenses when Trump Jr. and Eric went to the United Arab Emirates to open a golf resort last year.

David Fahrenthold contributed to this report.

Annie Gowen is a correspondent for The Washington Post's National desk. She was previously The Post’s India bureau chief and has reported for The Post throughout South Asia and the Middle East since 2013. Before going to India, she was a member of The Post's social issues team covering wealth and inequality. Follow https://twitter.com/anniegowen

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/taxpayers-cost-for-trump-jrs-business-trip-to-india-nearly-100k-documents-show/2018/11/15/1ea6153a-9f58-4718-83d8-dff80ad42f9e_story.html

[niyad]

1. I want our money back. LOCK HIM UP!

[llmart]

2. I hope Mr. Mueller has a surprise for him very soon.

Gawd, just when I thought I couldn't hate that family more, there's this. I will be thrilled if he's one of the indicted and hopefully very soon.

[red dog 1]

11. Amen to that!

[beachbum bob]

3. so what govt position does Trump JR hold that taxpayers must pay for his travels?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. From the article, but I had to cut it to keep to four paragraphs:

The Secret Service is authorized by law to protect the president and his immediate family, although Trump Jr. briefly waived his protective guard last fall while on a moose-hunting trip to the Yukon. The idea that the U.S. taxpayers are footing the bill for Secret Service travel while the Trump children are on trips to promote the family’s brand overseas has prompted criticism from both Capitol Hill and watchdog groups.

He could waive the coverage, but he chose not to.

[SWBTATTReg]

6. I can agree that if protection is warrented, it should be provided, IF they don't have the means...

to protect themselves. They do. It just goes to show you that they are taking advantage of every federal dollar they can get away with. So much for cutting the debt totally in what, 5 years as rump promised before?

[llmart]

14. Not sure the law says we have to pay for their hotel rooms though...

[mahatmakanejeeves]

15. The accommodations were for the Secret Service agents.

The Department of Homeland Security, responding to a Freedom of Information request, released 47 pages of purchase orders, requisition forms and planning work sheets showing Trump Jr.’s February trip cost more than $97,805 for hotel rooms, airfare, car rental and overtime for Secret Service agents. The costs were incurred on a February tour of four Indian cities — New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata — where the Trump family has licensed its name to luxury high-rise projects.

[llmart]

16. Yeah, I read that wrong initially but...

why are we paying for him to go pimping for his family's properties? Jeezus! Does anyone else remember the brouhaha over Bill Clinton's haircuts when he was in office? This waste of taxpayer money just burns me to no end. Conservative party my ass.

[LittleGirl]

4. I thought those assholes were rich?

They should pay their own way. Fuckers. ugh.

[justhanginon]

7. This is how the rich stay rich! Making other people pay.

Kind of the Jeff Bezos Amazon model. Make other people pay and thank him for the privilege.

[LittleGirl]

23. Having never been rich

I guess you're right. they are still fuckers. lol

[Achilleaze]

8. Did Dirty Donny Junior* get in a couple of rounds of luxury golf?

Like his old man? They love to screw the American taxpayer with their luxury indulgences.

* aka draft-dodging spawn of the republican Draft-dodger-in-Chief

[lagomorph777]

9. Turd Jr. is NOT a federal employee! How the fuck does he get to bill us for his trip?

LOCK HIM UP!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. From the article, but I had to cut it to keep to four paragraphs:

The Secret Service is authorized by law to protect the president and his immediate family, although Trump Jr. briefly waived his protective guard last fall while on a moose-hunting trip to the Yukon. The idea that the U.S. taxpayers are footing the bill for Secret Service travel while the Trump children are on trips to promote the family’s brand overseas has prompted criticism from both Capitol Hill and watchdog groups.

He could waive the coverage, but he chose not to.

[red dog 1]

12. I wonder why he waved his Secret Service protection for the moose hunt?

He needs to be indicted by Mueller...Soon!

[red dog 1]

13. Kick

Thanks for posting this.

[TexasBushwhacker]

17. We shouldn't be providing security for adult children

Especially for BUSINESS trips. It's a business expense that should be paid for by the business.

I wonder what Trump get paid for these licensing agreements. I wonder how many were in place prior to his election and how much are new business. I really question how much value the Trump name has NOW.

[renate]

19. that's a good point

At first I thought, well, of all the things to get incensed about, this is way down on the list: providing protection for the president's family has always been done.

But yeah... I can see how the case could be made that it's a business expense. It's not as though he didn't have to have bodyguards and security before his dad became president.

Still, he's a member of the president's family and until he goes to prison he's entitled to that protection, and to go about his nasty life doing nasty business deals just as he would have done if his dad weren't president. Until that glorious day that he goes to prison. Speaking of which, we need an emoji for the gleeful rubbing of hands.

[TexasBushwhacker]

20. But Trump's kids are unique

Many President's have had adult children. Most do not request security paid for by US taxpayers, even though they could.

My gripe is that I imagine that since Donald Jr is promoting Trump properties, everyone is STAYING at Trump properties and we are, undoubtefly, paying list price. So it's not just that it cost $100K. It's that the $100K is going into Trump's pocket. When Trump hosts a reception for a foreign dignitary at Mar A Lago or one of his golf resorts, we have to pay HIM.

[renate]

21. you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT that any profit from stays at Trump properties are wrong

How is that not a violation of the emoluments clause RIGHT THERE? I don't get it.

And I didn't know that adult children didn't normally get protection.

In that case, I retract everything I said about it being annoying but traditional. Thanks for explaining!

[TexasBushwhacker]

22. Adult children have the right to security

they just don't traditionally ask for it. Of course, most President's children weren't the phenomenal douchebags the Trump clan is, so I suppose they feel more threatened. Then again, my guess is that they simply feel entitled.

[WiseElder]

18. Mueller needs to get off his azz and lock him up already.

Net savings for taxpayers this way.