Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) blasted the White House’s announcement on Thursday that the annual Group of 7 (G-7) economic summit would be held at one of President Trump’s golf properties in Florida.
“This is corruption, plain and simple,” Warren, who is running for president, tweeted.
Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on Thursday afternoon said the summit, set for next June, would be held at the Trump National Doral Golf Club near Miami.
“We thought of the 12 places that we looked at … this was by far and away the best choice,” Mulvaney said.{mosads}
Mulvaney also dismissed the frequent criticism from ethics watchdog groups of Trump’s use of his own properties as president.
“There’s no issue here on him profiting from this in any way, shape or form,” Mulvaney said. “If you think it’s going to help his brand, that’s great, but I would suggest that he doesn’t need much help promoting his brand.”
Warren, who has joined others in vocally criticizing Trump’s use of his own properties as president, released a policy proposal last month to address conflicts of interest in government, calling the Trump presidency the “most corrupt administration of our lifetimes.”
The same month, Warren pressed the State Department for details on Vice President Pence’s stay at a Trump hotel in Doonbeg, Ireland, earlier this year.
“This transaction—another example of what appears to be open corruption in this administration—deepens my concerns about the ongoing ethics issues related to the President’s continued financial relationship with the Trump Organization and the abuse of taxpayer funds to enrich the President and his family through their business interests,” Warren wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.