Trump’s Ireland Golf Trip Raises Fresh Questions About Public Office and Private Profit

An official trip with a private-business connection

President Donald Trump plans to visit Ireland on September 12 and 13 to attend the Irish Open at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, County Clare.

According to the White House, the trip will also include an event involving American embassy personnel and business representatives. The golf resort remains part of the Trump family’s business holdings, although Trump has transferred its daily management to his sons.

The trip is another example of the president combining government travel with visits to properties bearing his name. Trump has attended tournaments and political events at family-owned properties in Florida, New Jersey and Scotland.

Read the source: Associated Press: Trump plans to attend the Irish Open at his Doonbeg resort ↗

Why the arrangement deserves scrutiny

The arrangement does not automatically prove that a law has been broken. Nevertheless, it creates an ethical problem: presidential appearances can generate publicity, prestige and potential revenue for a business connected to the president’s family.

Public service should never become free advertising for a president’s private business. The White House should disclose the trip’s taxpayer-funded costs, explain which events are official and reimburse the public for expenses connected primarily to Trump’s resort or the golf tournament.