The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the Donald Trump Foundation admitted to violating "self-dealing" regulations when indicating on tax forms that the organization had transferred "income or assets to a disqualified person," which could very well indicate the reality-television star himself or members of his family.
"Self-dealing" refers to practice of nonprofit leaders using donated funds to benefit themselves or their businesses. The Trump Foundation also indicated that it had engaged in self-dealing in the past. Penalties for this can include excise taxes for each act of self-dealing, along with being compelled to repay money taken from the organization.
Legal documents indicate the billionaire spent roughly $258,000 on lawsuit settlements involving his for-profit businesses, including $120,000 in unpaid fines from a dispute at Trump’s Palm Beach country club over the height of a flagpole.
NPR reported Tuesday that Filippino president Rodrigo Duterte named real-estate mogul Jose E.B. Antonio as a special trade envoy to the US under the Trump administration. Antonio is also managing the construction of a Trump Tower in Manila.
On the project’s website, Antonio gushed that the incoming president is "an icon of real estate," and said that he anticipated that working with Trump would be "a great honor and a privilege. "
"He has been my reference for a lot of projects; he exudes luxury, he exudes quality, he exudes a standard that most real estate developers should emulate if they want to enter the game of luxury," Antonio added.
The average worker in Manila makes about $10 a day, but a one-bedroom apartment in the tower will cost about $750,000.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka, whose jewelry is for sale on the site, remarked that, "As a brand, we're incredibly excited about this building. The architecture is exquisite, the interior design is flawless."
Ivanka also spoke with Argentine President Mauricio Macri during a recent call with the president-elect. Marci told Japanese media outlet Asahi Shibum that he has known Trump’s daughter "since her infant days."
Their chat comes a week after Ivanka was photographed with her father along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a meeting at Trump’s home. Abe told reporters that his meeting "renewed my conviction that together with Mr. Trump I will be able to establish a relationship of trust. As an outcome of today’s discussions, I am convinced Mr Trump is a leader in whom I can have great confidence," according to Politico.
It has also been reported that, during a meeting with interim United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage, Trump urged Farage to publicly oppose construction of windfarms in the UK, such as those being built close to the President-elect’s golf course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Once the New York Times broke the story Monday night, Trump tweeted, "Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world. Only the crooked media makes this a big deal!"
