WASHINGTON—About 100 foreign diplomats, from Brazil to Turkey, gathered at the Trump International Hotel this week to sip Trump-branded champagne, dine on sliders and hear a sales pitch about the U.S. president-elect’s newest hotel. Guests at the Trump hotel have begun parking themselves in the lobby, ordering expensive cocktails, hoping to see one of the Trump family members or the latest cabinet pick. One foreign official hoped Trump, famous for the personal interest he takes in his businesses, might check the guest logs himself. The 180-country-strong diplomatic community in the capital spends millions of dollars every year on hotels, including for huge events marking their countries’ independence days. F. Joseph Warin, a lawyer and expert on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, said Trump should consider bringing in a third-party administrator.

Source: thestar November 19, 2016 20:54 UTC