⛳Foreign leaders forced to Trump golf clubs for U.S. policy
Ethics & Government Accountability
Foreign Policy
President Trump spent July 25-27, 2025, golfing at his Turnberry and Aberdeen properties while conducting official trade negotiations with EU President von der Leyen and meeting UK PM Starmer. The trip included a ribbon-cutting for Trump's new golf course, mixing personal business promotion with presidential duties as critics note foreign leaders must visit Trump properties to access U.S. policy.
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Key Takeaways
- <ul><li><strong>Pay-to-play diplomacy becomes standard practice when foreign leaders must visit Trump properties for policy access</strong>: Presidents historically separated personal business from official duties to prevent corruption
- but Trump explicitly mixes golf course promotion with international negotiations. The Founders included Emoluments Clause precisely to prevent foreign governments from purchasing American policy through presidential payments.</li><li><strong>Secret Service payments to Trump businesses create taxpayer-funded advertising during diplomatic visits</strong>: Government security details pay for rooms and golf carts at presidential properties
- funneling public money to private businesses during official functions. This arrangement allows presidents to profit from their own security requirements while conducting international diplomacy on company grounds.</li><li><strong>Global diplomacy gets subordinated to real estate marketing when ribbon-cutting ceremonies accompany trade negotiations</strong>: Trump's Aberdeen golf course opening during official meetings demonstrates how presidential duties serve business promotion rather than national interests. Traditional diplomatic protocols maintain focus on policy outcomes rather than commercial advertising opportunities.</li><li><strong>Democratic accountability disappears when presidents conduct policy through private businesses rather than government facilities</strong>: Trump properties lack transparency and oversight mechanisms that govern official diplomatic venues
- preventing public scrutiny of policy discussions. The Blair House and Camp David exist specifically to provide appropriate settings for international negotiations with proper security and record-keeping.</li></ul>
Influential Figures
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Why This Matters
Foreign leaders pay Trump businesses for policy access:
EU and UK officials forced to visit Trump golf resorts for negotiations, enriching his companies through diplomatic necessity.
Taxpayers fund Trump property marketing worldwide:
Presidential trips showcase his businesses globally while Secret Service pays Trump for rooms and golf carts.
Emoluments Clause dies at the 18th hole:
Constitution's ban on foreign payments meaningless when presidents conduct diplomacy at their cash businesses.
Track Trump property profits from government:
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics documents corruption at citizensforethics.org—expose self-dealing with evidence.
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Detailed Content
2
Which of the following properties did President Trump visit for golfing between July 25-27, 2025?
Multiple Choice
Government
3
With whom did President Trump conduct official trade negotiations during his July 25–27, 2025 trip?
Multiple Choice
Foreign Policy
4
The ribbon-cutting event for President Trump's new golf course during his trip best illustrates which concern about mixing personal business with presidential duties?
Multiple Choice
Ethics & Government Accountability
5
Which organization is cited as documenting corruption and tracking Trump property profits?
Multiple Choice
Ethics & Government Accountability
6
Why do critics assert that foreign leaders were effectively forced to visit Trump properties to access U.S. policy?
Short Answer
Ethics & Government Accountability
7
Arrange the 'Why This Matters' points in the order they appear in the source material.
Timeline
Ethics & Government Accountability
8
The Emoluments Clause effectively prevented foreign payments to President Trump when he conducted diplomacy at his golf businesses.
True/False
Ethics & Government Accountability
9
During President Trump's trip, the Secret Service received golf carts from Trump at no cost.
True/False
Ethics & Government Accountability