During President-elect Donald Trump's first news conference since being elected, his lawyer, Sherri Dillon, says that those who believe that Trump's ownership of hotels constitutes a violation of the emoluments clause are "wrong." “The so-called Emoluments Clause has never been interpreted, however, to apply to fair value exchanges that have absolutely nothing to do with an office holder. Since Trump’s election, ethics experts have raised concerns that Trump’s business holdings around the world could test the boundaries of the letter or spirit of the Foreign Emoluments Clause in the U.S. Constitution. Not all legal experts agree that Trump would violate the emoluments clause. Congress scrutinized nearly two decades’ worth of his political gifts and taxes, and whether his finances posed a conflict of interest.

Source: Washington Post January 12, 2017 08:03 UTC