Donald Trump, his family, and their respective businesses maintained ties to Chinese banks, investors and state-owned organization prior to and following Trump’s election.
In 2016, a Trump Hotels chief executive stated that the brand wanted to build 20 to 30 hotels in China, claiming that “there will definitely be Trump hotels in big Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai.”
After Donald Trump was elected president, The Trump Organization obtained dozens of trademarks in China after seeking them for more than a decade.
After Trump was elected, Ivanka Trump won approval for dozens of trademarks in China.
Donald Trump’s Avenue of the Americas building carried a $950 million loan with one of the lenders being the Bank of China.
Trump Tower had the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the largest bank in China, as a tenant during Trump’s presidency.
Donald Trump’s buildings saw an uptick in suspicious buyers with ties to the Chinese government after his election.
Donald Trump’s brand products were manufactured in China.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner maintained their own ties to China through their businesses.
Ivanka owned a jewelry store in China and some of her Ivanka Trump branded products were made and imported from China
Between 2016 and 2017, Kushner’s family company was in talks with a Chinese financial institution for a $4 billion investment for redeveloping 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan
In May 2017, Jared Kushner’s sister suggested to Chinese investors that the Kushner family could help investors obtain American green cards if they invested in the family’s businesses.
Donald Trump used his position to support China and come to the aid of President Xi Jingping:
The President helped a sanctioned Chinese telecommunications firm after two Trump affiliated projects signed deals with Chinese state-owned companies. Trump said he was doing this to protect Chinese jobs.
Trump called Xi Jinping’s move to consolidate power and ensure his tenure “for life” “great.”
Trump failed to publicly support the 2019 and 2020 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong out of concern that it would harm his personal relationship with Xi Jinping
Trump touted China’s role in the US negotiations with North Korea and called President of China, Xi, a “good friend.”
Trump complimented China on their predatory trade policies, stating that he “g[a]ve China great credit” for their ability to take advantage of other countries via trade.
Donald Trump refused to commit support to the Taiwanese if China invaded them during his second term.
Trump Efforts At A Licensing Deal In China Dated Back To 2006. According to the New York Times, “As with Russia, where he explored hotel and tower projects in Moscow without success, Mr. Trump has long sought a licensing deal in China. His efforts go at least as far back as 2006, when he filed trademark applications in Hong Kong and the mainland. Many Chinese government approvals came after he became president. (The president’s daughter Ivanka Trump also won Chinese trademark approvals for her personal business after she joined the White House staff.)” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
2008: Trump Pursued An Office Tower In Guangzhou That Never Got Off The Ground. According to the New York Times, “In 2008, Mr. Trump pursued an office tower project in Guangzhou that never got off the ground. But his efforts accelerated in 2012 with the opening of a Shanghai office, and tax records show that one of Mr. Trump’s China-related companies, THC China Development L.L.C., claimed $84,000 in deductions that year for travel costs, legal fees and office expenses.” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
2012: Trump Opened A Shanghai Office. According to the New York Times, “In 2008, Mr. Trump pursued an office tower project in Guangzhou that never got off the ground. But his efforts accelerated in 2012 with the opening of a Shanghai office, and tax records show that one of Mr. Trump’s China-related companies, THC China Development L.L.C., claimed $84,000 in deductions that year for travel costs, legal fees and office expenses.” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
2015: Trump Pursued A Beijing Licensing And Development Deal That Would Have Included State Grid Corporation, One Of China’s Largest Government Controlled Entities. According to the New York Times, “After effectively planting his flag there, Mr. Trump found a partner in the State Grid Corporation, one of the nation’s largest government-controlled enterprises. Agence France-Presse reported in 2016 that the partnership would have involved licensing and managing a development in Beijing. Mr. Trump was reportedly still pursuing the deal months into his first presidential campaign, but it was abandoned after State Grid became ensnared in a corruption investigation by Chinese authorities.” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
2016: The Chief Executive Of Trump Hotels Said That The Organization Wanted To Open Hotels In 20 To 30 Cities In China. According to the Washington Post, “Just before the U.S. election, in October, Trump Hotels chief executive Eric Danziger was quoted in Chinese news media as telling an Asia Pacific hospitality conference in Hong Kong that the group was still aiming to open Trump hotels in 20 to 30 cities in China and Scion hotels in more cities — but this time without specifying a target date. ‘There will definitely be Trump hotels in big Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai,’ he was quoted as saying. But if Danziger is right, those projects could either fall apart or become a liability if Trump doesn’t keep the U.S.-China relationship on an even keel.” [Washington Post, 12/26/16]
2015-2017: Trump’s Tax Filings Said He Held A Bank Account In China. According to the BBC, “Newly released tax returns for former President Donald Trump have shed light on his business losses, complicated tax set-ups and tax payments during his White House years. […] The documents also show that Mr Trump, who had international business dealings, held bank accounts in Ireland, the United Kingdom and China for a period that ran from 2015-17. The overseas accounts were notable, as Mr Trump held the White House in 2017, giving him significant power over US foreign policy. From 2018 onward, Mr Trump only reported having an account in the UK.” [BBC, 12/30/22]
October 2020: Trump Lawyer Alan Garten Told The New York Times That The Chinese Bank Account “Remains Open.” According to the New York Times, “In response to questions from The Times, Alan Garten, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, said the company had ‘opened an account with a Chinese bank having offices in the United States in order to pay the local taxes’ associated with efforts to do business there. He said the company had opened the account after establishing an office in China ‘to explore the potential for hotel deals in Asia.’ ‘No deals, transactions or other business activities ever materialized and, since 2015, the office has remained inactive,’ Mr. Garten said. ‘Though the bank account remains open, it has never been used for any other purpose.’” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
Trump Claimed During A 2016 Presidential Debate That He Shut Down His Chinese Bank Account Before Running For President. According to a column by Timothy O’Brien in Bloomberg, “The tax records released last week indicate that Trump had foreign bank accounts in China, Britain, Ireland, and St. Martin. The amount of money held in those accounts wasn’t detailed. Trump had the bank account in China in 2015, 2016 and 2017 even though he claimed during a presidential debate that he shut it before embarking on his 2016 presidential bid.” [Bloomberg – Column, 1/3/23]
Trump International Hotels Management LLC Held A Chinese Bank Account. According to the New York Times, “The Chinese account is controlled by Trump International Hotels Management L.L.C., which the tax records show paid $188,561 in taxes in China while pursuing licensing deals there from 2013 to 2015.” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
Trump’s Lawyer Would Not Identify The Bank In China Where Trump Had An Account. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Garten would not identify the bank in China where the account is held. Until last year, China’s biggest state-controlled bank rented three floors in Trump Tower, a lucrative lease that drew accusations of a conflict of interest for the president.” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
2017: Trump Made $6.5 Million In Income From China. According to MSNBC, “Trump benefited from foreign income: NBC News’ report added, in reference to Friday’s disclosure, ‘The returns show that in the 2020 tax year, Donald and Melania Trump reported $78 million in gross income from 16 foreign countries — including the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland and St. Martin, where Trump has properties. The gross income also included a reported $1.2 million from ‘other countries’ — abbreviated as ‘OC’ — that were not specified. In 2017, Trump’s first year in office, he also made $6.5 million from China, the returns show. The source of the China payments is not clear from the returns.’” [MSNBC, 1/2/23]
The Trump Organization Registered Dozens Of Trademarks In China Following The Election. According to CNN Money, “Trump can also argue that he's a lot more famous in China now than he was when he first started the trademark battle there in 2006, giving him a stronger claim to the Trump name. Trump already holds dozens of trademarks in China and is seeking dozens more. ‘The Trump Organization has been actively enforcing its trademark rights in China for more than a decade and its latest trademark registration is a natural result of those efforts -- all of which took place years before President Trump even announced his candidacy,’ said Alan Garten, the Trump Organization's chief legal officer. The ethics concerns are fueled by Trump's decision not to completely sever ties with his company.” [CNN Money, 2/17/17]
Trump Had Been Seeking The Trademarks For More Than A Decade. According to CNN Money, “The Chinese government has granted President Trump and his business something they had been seeking for more than a decade: trademark protection for the use of the Trump name in the construction industry. Trump fought unsuccessfully in Chinese courts for years to try to gain control of the trademark, but his fortunes changed suddenly last year during the latter stages of his campaign for the White House.” [CNN Money, 2/17/17]
Fall 2018: Chinese Government Granted 18 Trademarks To Companies Linked To Donald Trump And Ivanka. According to the Associated Press, “The Chinese government granted 18 trademarks to companies linked to President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump over the last two months, Chinese public records show, raising concerns about conflicts of interest in the White House. In October, China’s Trademark Office granted provisional approval for 16 trademarks to Ivanka Trump Marks LLC, bringing to 34 the total number of marks China has greenlighted this year, according to the office’s online database. The new approvals cover Ivanka-branded fashion gear including sunglasses, handbags, shoes and jewelry, as well as beauty services and voting machines.” [Associated Press, 11/6/18]
An Office Building Of Which Trump Was Part Owner On The Avenue Of The Americas In Manhattan, Carried A $950 Million Loan. According to the New York Times, “But an investigation by The New York Times into the financial maze of Mr. Trump’s real estate holdings in the United States reveals that companies he owns have at least $650 million in debt — twice the amount than can be gleaned from public filings he has made as part of his bid for the White House. The Times’s inquiry also found that Mr. Trump’s fortunes depend deeply on a wide array of financial backers, including one he has cited in attacks during his campaign. For example, an office building on Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan, of which Mr. Trump is part owner, carries a $950 million loan. Among the lenders: the Bank of China, one of the largest banks in a country that Mr. Trump has railed against as an economic foe of the United States, and Goldman Sachs, a financial institution he has said controls Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, after it paid her $675,000 in speaking fees.” [New York Times, 8/20/16]
China Was A Financial Backer Of Trump’s $950 Million Loan On An Office Building In Manhattan. According to the New York Times, “The Times’s inquiry also found that Mr. Trump’s fortunes depend deeply on a wide array of financial backers, including one he has cited in attacks during his campaign. For example, an office building on Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan, of which Mr. Trump is part owner, carries a $950 million loan. Among the lenders: the Bank of China, one of the largest banks in a country that Mr. Trump has railed against as an economic foe of the United States, and Goldman Sachs, a financial institution he has said controls Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, after it paid her $675,000 in speaking fees.” [New York Times, 8/20/16]
2012: 1290 Avenue Of The Americas Majority Owners Refinanced The Building Including $211 Million From The State-Owned Bank Of China. According to Politico, “But Trump himself has taken on debt from China. In 2012, his real estate partner refinanced one of Trump’s most prized New York buildings for almost $1 billion. The debt included $211 million from the state-owned Bank of China, which matures in the middle of what could be Trump’s second term. Steps from Trump Tower in Manhattan, the 43-story 1290 Avenue of the Americas skyscraper spans an entire city block. Trump owns a 30 percent stake in the property valued at more than $1 billion, making it one of the priciest addresses in his portfolio, according to his financial disclosures.” [Politico, 4/24/20]
Bank Of China Said It Sold The Debt On 1290 Avenue Of The Americas Weeks After The Loan. According to Politico, “But Trump himself has taken on debt from China. In 2012, his real estate partner refinanced one of Trump’s most prized New York buildings for almost $1 billion. The debt included $211 million from the state-owned Bank of China, which matures in the middle of what could be Trump’s second term. Steps from Trump Tower in Manhattan, the 43-story 1290 Avenue of the Americas skyscraper spans an entire city block. Trump owns a 30 percent stake in the property valued at more than $1 billion, making it one of the priciest addresses in his portfolio, according to his financial disclosures. […] After the first version of this article was published, Bank of China issued a statement Friday evening stating that it sold its debt on the building weeks after the 2012 loan on the property. Vornado Realty Trust owns 70 percent of the building.” [Politico, 4/24/20]
2008: Industrial And Commercial Bank Of China – The Largest Bank In Terms of Global Market Value – Agreed To Rent Space In Trump Tower. According to the New York Post, “Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has chosen a location known for its international appeal to set up its first US outpost: Trump Tower at 725 Fifth Ave. The bank – said to be the world’s largest in terms of global market value – signed a deal for the 20th floor, about 14,256 square feet. Donald Trump said the tower’s office space is now fully leased.” [New York Post, 9/16/08]
2012: Trump Tower Tenants Included Industrial And Commercial Bank Of China. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Trump Organization is refinancing the retail and office space in its Trump Tower headquarters building at 725 Fifth Ave. in Midtown Manhattan, replacing an expiring $27 million mortgage with a $100 million mortgage. […] The loan covers the 244,482 square feet of retail and office space at the tower. Tenants in the commercial space, which is nearly 99% occupied, include Gucci America, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Trump Organization itself.” [Wall Street Journal, 9/5/12]
The Industrial And Commercial Bank Of China Was Government-Owned. According to the Industrial and Commercial Bank Of China, Central Huijin Owned 34.71 percent total shares and the ministry of finance owned 34.60 percent of shares. [Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, 9/30/19]
Industrial And Commercial Bank Was The Largest Lender By Assets In China And The World. According to the Real Deal, “China’s largest bank will retain a toehold at Trump Tower as it relocates the bulk of its New York City offices to Sixth Avenue. The Industrial & Commercial Bank of China – the largest lender by assets in China and, for that matter, the world – will retain one floor for executive offices in the building owned by President Trump’s family, Bloomberg News reported.” [Real Deal, 1/10/19]
2016: Trump Bragged About His Positive Relationship With “The Chinese,” Noted That “The Largest Bank In The World Is In One Of My Buildings In Manhattan.” According to a transcript from the Washington Post, Trump said, “I deal with the Chinese all of the time. I do tremendous -- the largest bank in the world is in one of my buildings in Manhattan. I deal with them.” [Washington Post, 2/6/16]
Industrial And Commercial Bank Of China’s Lease Was Due To Expire During Trump’s Term; Chinese Government Would Be In Negotiations With Trump Organization To Renew The Lease. According to NPR, “For example, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, which is owned by the Chinese government, is a tenant at Trump Tower in New York, and its lease is due to expire during Trump’s term, the suit says. This could mean that the Chinese government will be in negotiations with the Trump Organization to renew the lease.” [NPR, 1/23/17]
January 2019: The Industrial And Commercial Bank Of China Reduced Its Lease. According to the Real Deal, “China’s largest bank will retain a toehold at Trump Tower as it relocates the bulk of its New York City offices to Sixth Avenue. The Industrial & Commercial Bank of China – the largest lender by assets in China and, for that matter, the world – will retain one floor for executive offices in the building owned by President Trump’s family, Bloomberg News reported.” [Real Deal, 1/10/19]
ICBC Left Trump Tower Around The Same Time Trump Left Office, Even Though They Were In The Middle Of A Five-Year Lease Extension. According to Forbes, “Lending records show that that the Chinese bank abandoned Trump Tower around the time Trump left the White House. The bank’s departure seemed to come suddenly, in the first half of 2021 and less than two years after the bank exercised what Eric Trump, the former president’s son, described as a five-year extension. It’s hard to consider either of those developments—the lease extension or the sudden departure—without wondering whether China was trying to curry favor.” [Forbes, 4/10/23]
2021: ICBC Broke Off The Agreement And Left Trump Tower. According to Forbes, “In 2021, when Joe Biden took office, the Chinese bank apparently came to the conclusion that it was no longer the smartest idea to be renting space from Donald Trump. Representatives of ICBC and the Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment for this story. Forbes did manage to connect with someone answering the phones at ICBC’s branch in Queens. That person confirmed that ICBC no longer has any space in Trump Tower.” [Forbes, 4/10/23]
February 2017: Angela Chen AKA Xiao Yan Chen Purchased A Four-Bedroom Condo In The Trump Park Avenue Building. According to Mother Jones, “Chen, who also goes by the names Xiao Yan Chen and Chen Yu, purchased the four-bedroom condo in the Trump Park Avenue building in New York City on February 21. As Mother Jones first reported, Chen runs a business consulting firm, Global Alliance Associates, which specializes in linking US businesses seeking deals in China with the country's top power brokers. ‘As counselors in consummating the right relationships—quite simply—we provide access,’ Chen's firm boasts on its website. But Chen has another job: She chairs the US arm of a nonprofit called the China Arts Foundation, which was founded in 2006 and has links with Chinese elites and the country's military intelligence service.” [Mother Jones, 3/15/17]
Chen Had Ties To The Members Of Chinese Ruling Elite And To An Organization Considered A Front Group For Chinese Military Intelligence. According to Mother Jones, “When a Chinese American businesswoman who sells access to powerful people recently purchased a $15.8 million penthouse in a building owned by President Donald Trump, the deal raised a key question. Was this a straightforward real estate transaction, or was this an effort to win favor with the new administration? The woman, Angela Chen, refused to discuss the purchase with the media. The White House and the Trump Organization would not comment on it. Further investigation by Mother Jones has unearthed a new element to the story: Chen has ties to important members of the Chinese ruling elite and to an organization considered a front group for Chinese military intelligence.” [Mother Jones, 3/15/17]
March 28, 2019: Cheng Gao, A Chinese Immigrant, Donated A Total $237,000 To Trump And The Republican Party. According to Mother Jones, “On October 12, 2016, Cheng Gao, a recent immigrant from China, donated $50,000 to Trump Victory, the joint fundraising committee for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee. It was the first in a series of big-dollar contributions from Gao to Trump and the Republican Party that eventually would total $237,000, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics. The disclosure form filed by Trump Victory for this contribution listed an unusual occupation for Gao: ‘Buddhist artist.’” [Mother Jones, 3/28/19]
Gao And His Wife Qinqin Qiu Moved Into A Trump Tower Apartment In Spring 2017 Following Trump’s Inauguration. According to Mother Jones, “In the spring of 2017, Gao and his family left their loft in the Flatiron District and moved uptown and into Trump Tower. According to real estate records, their two-bedroom, 1,587-square-foot apartment was purchased for $3.75 million in May 2016 by a limited liability corporation called Pure Regal International that is registered in the British Virgin Islands. The firm’s owners are not disclosed on the corporate records for this company. (The British Virgin Islands are a notorious tax haven.) The mailing address for Pure Regal is the Tortola office of the Portcullis Group, which describes itself as ‘one of the largest Asian independent wealth managers.’” [Mother Jones, 3/28/19]
Gao Attended Other Trump Events, Including One At The White House, And Visited Trump Properties. According to Mother Jones, “Gao, who made his Instagram account private on Friday after inquiries from Mother Jones, also posted photos of a more political nature: his name card and menu at an exclusive January 2017 inauguration gala for major Trump donors held at the Library of Congress with incoming Trump Cabinet members (packages that included admission to the dinner started at $100,000); a November 2018 holiday reception at the White House hosted by Donald and Melania Trump; and multiple visits to Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private Palm Beach club. One photo gives the impression that when Gao visited Mar-a-Lago in January, he rode aboard a Trump Organization helicopter. Gao also posted a photo of Trump Tower, where he and his wife, Qingqing Qiu, moved into an apartment a few months after Trump’s inauguration.”[Mother Jones, 3/28/19]
Gao’s Wife Worked For The Chinese Government And The Chinese Communist Party. According to Mother Jones, “Qiu, who graduated from New York University in 2009 with a degree in urban design and architecture studies, listed her most recent job as the deputy director of the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund on her LinkedIn profile (which was disabled after Mother Jones contacted her and Gao). Registered under China’s Ministry of Culture, the fund aims to protect Chinese cultural practices, particularly folk culture […] According to an article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, ‘Wang started her career in academia—earning a master’s degree in politics from the University of Maryland and serving as a visiting scholar at the European Union’s agricultural division—and then held positions in the International Department of the [Chinese Communist Party], at the Hong Kong investment and brokerage firm BNP Paribas Peregrine, and at the Beijing office of the law firm Cha & Cha.’ The mission of the international department of China’s Communist Party has been described by experts as cultivating ties with communist parties abroad; developing connections with think tanks and nongovernmental organizations; monitoring overseas political developments; and promoting Chinese influence in the West.” [Mother Jones, 3/28/19]
The Source Of Gao’s Wealth Was Unclear. According to Mother Jones, “It’s unclear how Gao amassed the wealth fueling his lifestyle and six-figure political giving. (His donations extend beyond politics. He has contributed to the Rubin Museum in New York City, which focuses on Tibetan art, providing support for several exhibits. In one case, he donated $25,000 to underwrite an exhibition featuring rare Tibetan images, according to a former curator at the museum.) Campaign finance records note Gao is affiliated with a business called Dharma Joy Arts & Culture. Gao founded the Beijing-based company in 2012, according to Chinese corporate records. In 2015, shortly after relocating to Manhattan from Beijing, he incorporated a firm by that name in New York state. A LinkedIn page describes Dharma Joy as “an innovative lifestyle and fashion design firm that integrates the essence of Oriental wisdom into modern arts and design.” Dharma Joy does not seem to have a website in the United States, and there appears to be little sign on the internet of it conducting any major business. Friends and associates of Gao who asked not to be identified say that Gao and Qiu had a boutique in Beijing under this name. (In 2014, this business sponsored an art installation in downtown Beijing at a venue called the Tsultrim Art Space.)” [Mother Jones, 3/28/19]
October 2020: New York Times: Trump Las Vegas Hotel And Vancouver Had “Numerous Chinese Purchasers” And Drew The FBI’s Attention. According to the New York Times, “Outside of China, Mr. Trump has had more success attracting wealthy Chinese buyers for his properties in other countries. His hotels and towers in Las Vegas and Vancouver, British Columbia — locales known for attracting Chinese real estate investors — have found numerous Chinese purchasers, and in at least one instance drew the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
A Shell Company Controlled By A Chinese Couple From Vancouver Bought 11 Units In Trump Las Vegas Tower For $3.1 Million. According to the New York Times, “During the 2016 campaign, a shell company controlled by a Chinese couple from Vancouver bought 11 units, for $3.1 million, in the Las Vegas tower Mr. Trump co-owns with the casino magnate Phil Ruffin. The owner of a Las Vegas-based financial services firm told The Times he was later visited by two F.B.I. agents asking about the company behind the purchases, which he said had used his office address in incorporation papers without his knowledge. It is not known what became of the inquiry.” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
Numerous Chinese Buyers Bought In Trump’s Vancouver Hotel And Tower. According to the New York Times, “In Vancouver, numerous Chinese buyers of units in Mr. Trump’s hotel and tower helped increase licensing fees from that project to $5.8 million in 2016, the year it was completed, according to tax records. The project was built by a Canadian-based firm controlled by the family of one Malaysia’s richest men, Tony Tiah Thee Kian, who operates hotels in China and elsewhere. CNN reported in 2018 that the Vancouver operation was the subject of a counterintelligence review related to Ivanka Trump’s need for a security clearance.” [New York Times, 10/20/20]
2015: The Trump Organization Negotiated With A U.S. Subsidiary Of Shanghai Municipal Investment Group, Which Was One Of China’s Largest State-Run Enterprises. According to the Washington Post, “According to correspondence and financial documents obtained by The Washington Post, the Trump Organization negotiated with a U.S. subsidiary of Shanghai Municipal Investment Group, one of China’s largest state-owned enterprises, to build a luxury project in Manhattan. The proposed deal fell apart when Trump’s company sought an ownership stake in the project without investing any capital. […] “We are excited to potentially be working with you,” Greenblatt wrote to the Shanghai group, after weeks of discussions in the spring of 2015.” [Washington Post, 7/5/18]
The Trump Organization Sought Shanghai Municipal Investment Group As A Partner For A Manhattan Project. According to the Washington Post, “According to correspondence and financial documents obtained by The Washington Post, the Trump Organization negotiated with a U.S. subsidiary of Shanghai Municipal Investment Group, one of China’s largest state-owned enterprises, to build a luxury project in Manhattan. The proposed deal fell apart when Trump’s company sought an ownership stake in the project without investing any capital.” [Washington Post, 7/5/18]
The Proposed Deal Had The Chinese Firm Responsible For All Financing With The Trump Organization Responsible For Developing, Managing The Hotel, Marketing The Residential Units, And Licensing The Trump Name. According to the Washington Post, “Under the proposal, SMI USA and its president, Tom Tao, would have been responsible for obtaining all financing for the $739 million project, and the Trump Organization would have received an ownership slice as well as fees for developing the project, managing the hotel, marketing the residential units and licensing the Trump name. A photograph shows Trump posing with the Chinese investors in his office that March, giving a thumbs-up while clad in his signature red tie.” [Washington Post, 7/5/18]
Trump Met With The Chinese Investors In His Office And Took A Picture. According to the Washington Post, “Under the proposal, SMI USA and its president, Tom Tao, would have been responsible for obtaining all financing for the $739 million project, and the Trump Organization would have received an ownership slice as well as fees for developing the project, managing the hotel, marketing the residential units and licensing the Trump name. A photograph shows Trump posing with the Chinese investors in his office that March, giving a thumbs-up while clad in his signature red tie.” [Washington Post, 7/5/18]
The Deal Fell Apart When The Trump Organization Sought An Ownership Stake Without Investing Any Capital. According to the Washington Post, “According to correspondence and financial documents obtained by The Washington Post, the Trump Organization negotiated with a U.S. subsidiary of Shanghai Municipal Investment Group, one of China’s largest state-owned enterprises, to build a luxury project in Manhattan. The proposed deal fell apart when Trump’s company sought an ownership stake in the project without investing any capital.” [Washington Post, 7/5/18]
Trump Organization And SMI USA Discussed Other Properties. According to the Washington Post, “The two firms remained in discussions on assorted other properties, including the possibility of Trump branding an SMI-backed project at 138 East 50th St.” [Washington Post, 7/5/18]
A Quarter Of Trump Bay Street Funding Came From Loans Obtained Through EB-5. According to Investor's Business Daily, “The Jersey City project has raised $50 million, about a quarter of its funding, from loans obtained through EB-5, according to a slide presentation by US Immigration Fund. Mark Giresi, general counsel of US Immigration Fund, said he believed nearly all of the EB-5 investors in the Trump project were from China.” [Investor's Business Daily, 3/11/16]
Trump Agreed To Lend His Name To The Project, Partially Financed By A Visa Program Benefitting Wealthy Chinese Investors. According to China Daily, “Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has bashed immigrants and China in the US presidential race, is lending his brand to a building partly financed by a visa program that mainly benefits wealthy Chinese investors. Media reports say that Trump Bay Street, a luxury rental apartment building being built in Jersey City, New Jersey, is being funded in part through the federal EB-5 visa program.” [China Daily, 3/9/16]
One Hundred Chinese Investors Were Involved In The Development. According to China Daily, “CNN reports that US Immigration Fund, a private firm that solicits foreign investors for EB-5 projects, confirmed 100 Chinese investors in the project.” [China Daily, 3/9/16]
The 100 Chinese Investors Put $50 Million Into The Project. According to CNN, “His partners in the Jersey City project are raising $50 million from 100 Chinese investors. The total cost is estimated at $195 million. U.S. Immigration Funds, a private firm that actively solicits foreign investors interested in investment visas, confirmed the number of Chinese investors in the Jersey City project to CNNMoney.” [CNN, 3/8/16]
Trump And His Businesses Offshored Jobs To A Number Of Countries, Including Bangladesh, Indonesia, And China. According to CNN, “Trump criticized politicians and business leaders, arguing that they created policies that allowed and encouraged the offshoring of American jobs to America’s competitors. ‘We got here because we switched from a policy of Americanism -- focusing on what’s good for America’s middle class -- to a policy of globalism, focusing on how to make money for large corporations who can move wealth and workers to foreign countries, all to the detriment of the American worker and the American economy itself,’ Trump said. A CNN investigation shows that Trump and his businesses offshored jobs to a number of countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, and even China. Trump cut a deal with the global apparel giant PVH to manufacture his clothes in 2004, the company told CNN. And ever since, the Donald J. Trump Collection has been produced by factories in Central America and Asia, then shipped to the U.S. for sale in stores and online. CNN purchased several of Trump’s clothing items in 2016, whose tags indicated they were manufactured throughout Asia.” [CNN, 6/22/16]
The Donald J. Trump Collection Was Produced By Factories In Central America And Asia. According to CNN, “A CNN investigation shows that Trump and his businesses offshored jobs to a number of countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, and even China. Trump cut a deal with the global apparel giant PVH to manufacture his clothes in 2004, the company told CNN. And ever since, the Donald J. Trump Collection has been produced by factories in Central America and Asia, then shipped to the U.S. for sale in stores and online. CNN purchased several of Trump’s clothing items in 2016, whose tags indicated they were manufactured throughout Asia.” [CNN, 6/22/16]
New York Times: Trump’s “Line Of Suits, Ties And Cuff Links Bear A ‘Made In China’ Label” And “Some Also Come From Factories In Bangladesh, Mexico And Vietnam.” According to the New York Times, “Besides construction, Mr. Trump is big in the clothing business. But most of his line of suits, ties and cuff links bear a ‘Made in China’ label. Some also come from factories in Bangladesh, Mexico and Vietnam. He has blamed China’s currency manipulation to argue that it is almost impossible to find garments that are made domestically these days, or that they are prohibitively expensive. ‘The answer is very simple,’ Mr. Trump told ABC News when asked about his merchandise in 2011. ‘Because of the fact that China so manipulates their currency, it makes it almost impossible for American companies to compete.’ Despite that claim, some companies such as Brooks Brothers continue to make clothes in the United States.” [New York Times, 6/30/16]
CNN Money, 2016: Most Trump Ties Were Made In China. According to CNN Money, “Many of his products are made outside the United States. Most Donald J. Trump ties are made in China.” [CNN Money, 3/8/16]
CNN Money, 2016: Trump’s Dress Shirts Were Made In China, Bangladesh, Or Otherwise Imported. According to CNN Money, “Many of his products are made outside the United States. Most Donald J. Trump ties are made in China. Some Donald J. Trump suits are also made in China. Donald J. Trump signature men’s dress shirts are made in China, Bangladesh or ‘imported,’ meaning they were made abroad.” [CNN Money, 3/8/16]
Trump Merchandise Was Manufactured In China, Mexico, And Vietnam. According to ABC News, ‘As first reported by Salon.com, the Trump wear sold in Macy’s, part of the Donald J. Trump Signature Collection, is manufactured overseas, including ties in more than 50 different styles and colors (all made in China), suits (made in Mexico and Vietnam), and dress shirts (five styles made in China). All the Trump tie pins ($22) and tie clips ($28) are labeled as ‘Made in China,’ as are the cufflinks ($35 to $45 a pair) and even the boxes containing them.‘ [ABC News, 4/28/11]
ARC Capital Helped Create Digital World Acquisition, A Special Purpose Acquisition Company, To Conduct A Merger With Trump Media And Technology Group. According to the Washington Post, “This year, Arc helped create Digital World Acquisition, an investment vehicle that has raised over $1.2 billion to conduct a merger with Trump Media and Technology Group. Digital World is what’s known as a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, a type of shell business that raises money from investors to acquire a private start-up with strong growth prospects. The deal, which still must be approved by shareholders and regulators, has the potential to enrich the former president and turn his nascent social media start-up into a public company overnight.” [Washington Post, 12/23/21]
Wash. Post: ARC Capital, An Investment Advisory Firm Based In Shanghai “Repeatedly Helped Create Or Finance Companies With Little Or No Revenue, No Customers And Office Locations That Point To P.O. Boxes.” According to the Washington Post, “Arc Capital, an investment advisory firm based in Shanghai, has repeatedly helped create or finance companies with little or no revenue, no customers and office locations that point to P.O. boxes, according to a Washington Post review of regulatory and court filings. One claimed to be developing autonomous drone software despite having no employees; another said it operated a publicly traded in-home bakery ‘specializing in freshly-made cakes and cupcakes’ before saying it pivoted into touch-screen technologies for a ‘diversified blue-chip client base,’ regulatory filings show.” [Washington Post, 12/23/21]
The SEC Accused ARC Of Deceiving Investors About Its Operations, Locations, And Identities Of The People Behind Them. According to the Washington Post, “The United States allows shell companies to be listed on public markets but requires operators to truthfully represent them as businesses with no active operations, securities lawyers said. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has accused Arc of deceiving investors about the scope of its operations, the locations of the businesses and the identities of the people behind them, documents show.” [Washington Post, 12/23/21]
ARC Capital Was Founded To Help Chinese Companies List Their Shares On U.S. Stock Exchanges. According to the Washington Post, “Arc Capital was founded in 2015 by Mexican entrepreneur Abraham Cinta and a few of his colleagues, who decided to leave their jobs at an investment firm to strike out on their own, according to interviews with three former Arc employees and biographical information on Arc’s website. Cinta, a slight man with a boyish grin and an often disheveled appearance, saw an opportunity to help Chinese companies list their shares on U.S. stock exchanges, according to the former employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information about their former employer.” [Washington Post, 12/23/21]
Ivanka Trump Had A Fine Jewelry Store In China That Closed In September of 2016. According to BuzzFeed, “Records on the Credit Information System of Beijing Enterprises, a website under China’s State Administration of Industry and Commerce, show that the store officially folded last month. It’s a sharp turn from Trump’s comments at the time the store first opened in 2013, when she told the Wall Street Journal that she thought her brand had entered China, a battlefield for luxury brands, ‘with the right partner, with the right project, in the right city, in the right location.’” [BuzzFeed, 10/28/16]
2016: All Of Ivanka Trump’s 838 Products Advertised On Her Website Were Imported And None Were Made Exclusively In The United States. In a PBS op-ed Robert Lawrence, a former member of President Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers wrote, “In a recent debate Marco Rubio mentioned ties. But the ties made in China are just the tip of the iceberg. What about Donald J Trump sports jackets, cufflinks and eyeglass frames? All made in China. Inexpensive Donald J Trump shirts? Made in Bangladesh. More expensive Trump shirts? ‘Imported.’ The Trump brand also has a more feminine side — the Ivanka Trump brand. And where are the dresses, purses, shoes and other accessories that reflect Trump’s daughter’s taste made? Of the 838 Ivanka products advertised through the site, none appear to be made exclusively in the U.S.; 628 are said to be imported and 354 made specifically in China.” [PBS, Opinion, 3/8/16]
Ivanka Trump Scarves Were Made In China And Sold In Various U.S. Retailers For $12 To $68. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The 100% rayon scarves, manufactured in China and embroidered with the name of the daughter of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump ‘do not meet the federal flammability standards for clothing textiles, posing a burn risk,’ the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a notice. […] The scarves were sold by Lord & Taylor, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, as well as online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc. for $12-$68, according to the CPSC notice. Consumers are offered a full refund.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/6/16]
May 2018: Ivanka Trump Was Awarded Seven New Trademarks As Donald Trump Pledged To Save ZTE. According to the New York Times, “China this month awarded Ivanka Trump seven new trademarks across a broad collection of businesses, including books, housewares and cushions. At around the same time, President Trump vowed to find a way to prevent a major Chinese telecommunications company from going bust, even though the company has a history of violating American limits on doing business with countries like Iran and North Korea.” [New York Times, 5/28/18]
November 2018: Ivanka And Donald Trump Won Approval From The Chinese Government For 18 Trademarks. According to CBS News, “In November, the Chinese government granted a total of 18 trademarks to companies linked to U.S. President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka over the last two months, Chinese public records show, raising concerns about conflicts of interest in the White House as Americans vote in national elections.” [CBS News, 1/21/19]
Ethics Watchdog CREW Highlighted That The Timing Of The Trademarks Raised Ethical Questions Related To China. According to CNBC, “CREW said the approvals, which are only the latest in a series of approvals of trademarks by the Chinese, raises ‘ethics questions.’ ‘Since she has retained her foreign trademarks, the public will continue to have to ask whether President Trump has made foreign policy decisions in the interest of his and his family’s businesses,’ CREW said in a post. ‘Her trademarks remain a potential conflict of interest as she continues to work on policy in the White House and meet with foreign leaders.’” [CNBC, 11/6/18]
CREW Highlighted That Ivanka Trump Received The Trademarks A Week Before Trump Announced He Wanted To Lift A Ban On Chinese Company ZTE. According to CNBC, “CREW, in its report, pointed out two coincidences when China approved past Ivanka Trump trademarks. ‘In May 2018, Ivanka Trump’s business received approval for several new Chinese trademarks a week before President Trump announced that he wanted to lift the ban on the Chinese company ZTE, for violating US sanctions,’ CREW said. ‘In 2017, the business received three new Chinese trademarks on the same day she dined with Chinese President Xi Jinping,’ CREW said.” [CNBC, 11/6/18]
January 21, 2019: Ivanka Trump’s Brand Received Five New Trademarks In China. According to Fortune, “Ivanka Trump’s shuttered fashion brand received preliminary approval on five trademarks in China this month while the U.S. and China continue to undergo tense trade negotiations. The trademark applications were filed in 2016 and 2017, according to the Associated Press. One trademark for brokerage, charitable fundraising, and art valuation services was approved on Jan. 6, and four others—covering child care centers, sunglasses, and wedding dresses, and more—gained approval Sunday. Pending any objections, the trademarks will be finalized in 90 days. [Fortune, 1/21/19]
The Chinese Government Granted Companies Linked To Ivanka Trump 41 Total Trademarks By April Of 2019. According to Forbes, “The Chinese government granted a total of 41 trademarks to companies linked to Ivanka Trump by April of 2019—and the trademarks she applied for after her father became president got approved about 40% faster than those she requested before Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 election, according to a new book by Forbes’ senior editor Dan Alexander.” [Forbes, 4/14/22]
The Chinese Government Approved Trademarks Ivanka Applied For After Trump Became President 40% Faster Than Those She Requested Before His 2016 Victory. According to Forbes, “The Chinese government granted a total of 41 trademarks to companies linked to Ivanka Trump by April of 2019—and the trademarks she applied for after her father became president got approved about 40% faster than those she requested before Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 election, according to a new book by Forbes’ senior editor Dan Alexander.” [Forbes, 4/14/22]
January 2017: Anbang Insurance Group Was Planning To Invest In 666 Fifth Avenue, A Building Owned By Kushner’s Family. According to the New York Times, “On the night of Nov. 16, a group of executives gathered in a private dining room of the restaurant La Chine at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The table was laden with Chinese delicacies and $2,100 bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild. At one end sat Wu Xiaohui, the chairman of the Waldorf’s owner, Anbang Insurance Group, a Chinese financial behemoth with estimated assets of $285 billion and an ownership structure shrouded in mystery. Close by sat Jared Kushner, a major New York real estate investor whose father-in-law, Donald J. Trump, had just been elected president of the United States. It was a mutually auspicious moment. Mr. Wu and Mr. Kushner — who is married to Mr. Trump’s daughter Ivanka and is one of his closest advisers — were nearing agreement on a joint venture in Manhattan: the redevelopment of 666 Fifth Avenue, the fading crown jewel of the Kushner family real-estate empire. Anbang, which has close ties to the Chinese state, has seen its aggressive efforts to buy up hotels in the United States slowed amid concerns raised by Obama administration officials who review foreign investments for national security risk.” [New York Times, 1/7/17]
March 2017: Kushner And Anbang Announced A “Mutual” Agreement To End Talks Days After Democrats Raised Questions Of Chinese Government Influence. According to the New York Times, “A Chinese company with ownership ties to some of the Communist Party’s leading families has ended talks to invest billions of dollars in a Manhattan office tower owned by the family of Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and a senior White House aide. The Chinese financial conglomerate, Anbang Insurance Group, and the Kushner Companies ‘mutually agreed to end talks regarding the property,’ a Kushner Companies spokesman said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. The development came days after Democratic lawmakers wrote letters to the Office of White House Counsel and Treasury Secretary, expressing concern that the possible deal could breach federal ethics rules, and as Mr. Trump is preparing to meet Xi Jinping, China’s president, for their first summit at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The possible $4-billion deal between the two companies, first reported by The New York Times in January, would have paired a company led by a man who married the granddaughter of China’s late paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping, with the family company of Mr. Kushner, a principal White House adviser on foreign affairs, including China policy.” [New York Times, 3/29/17]
At The Event, Kushner’s Sister Suggested That If Investors Financed Their Real Estate Projects, Kushner Companies Would Help Them Get American Green Cards. According to the Washington Post, “That was the message delivered Saturday by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner’s sister Nicole Kushner Meyer to a ballroom full of wealthy Chinese investors in Beijing. Over several hours of slide shows and presentations, representatives from the Kushner family business urged Chinese citizens gathered at a Ritz-Carlton hotel to consider investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a New Jersey luxury apartment complex that would help them secure what’s known as an investor visa. The potential investors were advised to invest sooner rather than later in case visa rules change under the Trump administration. ‘Invest early, and you will invest under the old rules,’ one speaker said […] The EB-5 immigrant investor visa program that Meyer discussed Saturday allows rich foreign investors who are willing to plunk down large investments in U.S. projects that create jobs to apply to immigrate to the United States.” [Washington Post, 5/6/17]
The Promotional Materials Emphasized Nicole Meyer’s Relationship To Jared Kushner, A Top Official In The Trump White House. According to the Washington Post, “And the highlight of the afternoon was Meyer, a principal for the company, who was introduced in promotional materials as Jared’s sister. The event underscores the extent to which Kushner’s private business interests have the potential to collide with his powerful role as a top official in his father-in-law’s White House, particularly when it comes to China, where Kushner has become a crucial diplomatic channel between Beijing and the new administration. While Kushner has reported divesting from elements of the family business, including the specific project that his sister pitched in Beijing, the session Saturday demonstrated that the company is perceived as enjoying close ties to the Trump administration. Ethics laws prohibit government officials from profiting personally from their public-sector work.” [Washington Post, 5/6/17]
Speaking To The Investors, Kushner’s Sister Said That The Project “Means A Lot To Me And My Entire Family.” According to the New York Times, “Speaking in a ballroom, Ms. Meyer said the project ‘means a lot to me and my entire family.’ She mentioned her brother’s service as chief executive of Kushner Companies, the family business from which he resigned in January, saying he had left to serve in the Trump administration. The project was advertised to Chinese investors as the latest offering from the “star Kushner real estate family.” The project, which includes two towers, 1,476 luxury apartments and even a medical center for pets, was promoted as ‘Kushner 1.’ Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2018.” [New York Times, 5/6/17]
May 9, 2018: Chinese Smartphone Maker ZTE To Shutdown Global Operations In The Face Of Crippling Sanctions By The U.S. Government. According to Ars Technica, “One of the leading Chinese smartphone makers, ZTE, is shutting down global operations in the face of crippling sanctions levied by the US government. ZTE is China's number-two smartphone maker, and as recently as last year it was the number-four smartphone vendor in the US. ‘The major operating activities of the Company have ceased,’ ZTE wrote (PDF) in a Wednesday announcement to stock market traders in Hong Kong. ZTE's business became untenable after a US government order banned American companies from exporting technology to the Chinese smartphone maker. ZTE is heavily dependent on US-made components, especially Qualcomm chips and Google's Android software stack.” [Ars Technica, 5/9/18]
2017: ZTE Pled Guilty To Charges Of Sanctions Violations Tied To An Elaborate Multi-Year Scheme To Sell U.S. Made Technology To Iran And North Korea. According to Ars Technica, “Last year, ZTE admitted to an elaborate multi-year scheme to sell US-made technology to Iran and North Korea in violation of US sanctions laws. ZTE paid $890 million in penalties and said it was in the process of disciplining dozens of senior company officials who had orchestrated a scheme to violate US sanctions laws. But last month the Trump administration accused ZTE of continuing to lie to the US government even after last year's guilty plea.” [Ars Technica, 5/9/18]
April 15, 2018: The U.S. Department Of Commerce Banned U.S. Companies From Doing Business With ZTE, Preventing The Company From Making Smartphones. According to Ars Technica, “So on April 15, the US Commerce Department invoked the nuclear option, banning US companies from doing business with ZTE. Unfortunately for ZTE, US-made hardware and software are a huge part of ZTE's products. According to Reuters, at least 25 percent of the components in ZTE's phones came from US companies. ZTE makes heavy use of Qualcomm chips for its smartphones and other products. Even worse, the export ban included Google's suite of standard Android apps. While the Android operating system itself is open source, Google has maintained control over apps like Google Maps and, most importantly, the Play Store. Outside of China, it's difficult to sell an Android phone without access to Google's app store. Now it appears that ZTE is on the verge of going out of business altogether. ZTE says it is ‘actively communicating with the relevant US government departments’ to negotiate a reversal of the export ban. But it's hard to imagine the Trump administration reversing course at this point. And ZTE would need to redesign many of its products from scratch to manufacture them without US-made chips or software.” [Ars Technica, 5/9/18]
The Trump Organization’s Indonesian Partner, MNC Group, Announced That It Had Struck A Deal With An Arm Of The State-Owned Metallurgical Corporation Of China To Build A Theme Park Next Door To The Trump Property. According to the New York Times, “The Trump Organization’s partner in a lavish Indonesian development project boasting a six-star hotel and golf course with President Trump’s name has brought on a new ally: a Chinese state-owned company. The Indonesian partner, the MNC Group, said Tuesday that it had struck a deal with an arm of Metallurgical Corporation of China, a state-owned construction company, to build a theme park next door to the planned Trump properties […] The Chinese state-owned construction company, in an announcement of the deal, did not provide any details on the agreement. The announcement, which was initially published on its website, was later taken down. A representative for M.C.C. declined to comment. Both the theme park and the Trump-branded hotel and 18-hole golf course are being developed by the billionaire Hary Tanoesoedibjo, head of the MNC Group, and packaged together as part of a splashy $500 million complex called Lido City that it has marketed as an ‘integrated lifestyle resort and theme park.’” [New York Times, 5/15/18]
The Agreement Came As China Protested Washington’s Punitive Measures Against ZTE, A Chinese Telecommunications Company. According to the New York Times, “There isn’t any evidence that the agreement with the construction company was intended to sway the Trump administration on any matters. Still, Mr. Trump has threatened China with tariffs on $150 billion in Chinese-made goods if it doesn’t back away from plans to use state support to finance a new generation of high-tech industries. And China has protested Washington’s punitive measures against ZTE, a Chinese telecommunications company, that threaten to deprive it of badly needed American-made microchips, software and other equipment. On Sunday, in a surprise reversal, Mr. Trump said he had directed the Commerce Department to resolve the issue to save Chinese jobs.” [New York Times, 5/15/18]
The Lido Resort And Theme Park Included Two Trump Hotels And Golf Resorts Managed By the Trump Org. According to the New York Times, “The Lido resort and theme park, about 50 miles south of Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, is one of two projects in the country that the Trump Organization has signed onto with Mr. Hary, who ran for vice president of Indonesia in 2014, and who is the founder and president director of MNC. Mr. Hary, 52, is ranked 31st on Forbes magazine’s list of wealthy Indonesians, with a net worth of $1.1 billion. His business interests include television stations, newspapers, telecommunications, land development and financial services. Mr. Hary has used the Trump brand to help add cachet to Lido City, an ‘integrated lifestyle resort and theme park’ in the lush hills of West Java. Under the partnership with Mr. Hary, the two luxury hotels and golf resorts will bear the Trump name and a Trump company will manage them.” [New York Times, 5/15/18]
Trump’s Reported Receiving Between $2-$10 Million In Royalties From The Lido Resort Project. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Trump’s business dealings in Indonesia prompted scrutiny even before his inauguration, and he pledged not to embark on any new deals while in office. But the Trump Organization held onto the projects in Indonesia, saying the contracts with Mr. Hary were signed in 2015 and were binding. Mr. Trump has reported receiving between $2 million and $10 million in royalties from the project. In 2016, Mr. Trump said he received $380,952 in management fees from the projects, according to his most recent financial disclosure. At the old Lido Lakes Resort, the site of the Trump resort and theme park, the only work underway for the Trump project appears to be the moving of dirt on the site. ‘It’s fine to do a business deal with an offshore magnate, but he’s still got to translate it into business success, and at the moment there’s not much sign of progress,’ said Keith Loveard, a senior analyst at the Jakarta-based firm Concord Consulting.” [New York Times, 5/15/18]
Trump Also Had A Personal Relationship With The Head Of MCN Group, Hary Tanoesoedibjo. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Hary attended Mr. Trump’s inauguration last year and stayed at his Trump International Hotel in Washington. He also arranged for two Indonesian power brokers to meet with Mr. Trump in Trump Tower, including the then-Parliament speaker, Setya Novanto, who was sentenced last month to 15 years in prison for his part in embezzling more than $170 million from a national identity card program. Mr. Hary has a reputation for being hard-nosed in both business and politics. He founded his political party, the United Indonesia Party, in 2015.” [New York Times, 5/15/18]
May 13, 2018: After The Business Deal Was Announced, Trump Publicly Stated He Was Working With President Xi To Get ZTE Back In Business
Trump Tweeted That He And President Xi Worked To Get ZTE Back In Business. According to a tweet from Donald Trump, “President Xi Of China, And I, Are Working Together To Give Massive Chinese Phone Company, ZTE, A Way To Get Back Into Business, Fast. Too Many Jobs In China Lost. Commerce Department Has Been Instructed To Get It Done!” [Twitter, @realdonaldtrump, 5/13/18]
Trump Tweeted That There Were Too Many Jobs Lost In China. According to a tweet from Donald Trump, “President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” [Twitter, @realDonaldTrump, 5/13/18]
Trump Tweeted That ZTE Was A Large Buyer Of U.S. Products. According to a tweet from Donald Trump, “ZTE, the large Chinese phone company, buys a big percentage of individual parts from U.S. companies. This is also reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi.” [Twitter, @realdonaldtrump, 5/14/18]
Trump’s Shift In Tone Surrounding ZTE Happened The Same Week That One Of His Affiliated Progress Signed A Deal With A State-Owned Chinese Firm. According to Vox, “Why did Trump change course on ZTE? It’s of course possible to interpret Trump’s rapid turnabout on the ZTE issue as reflecting what Ana Swanson, Mark Landler, and Keith Bradsher of the New York Times term ‘another twist in the pitched battle inside the White House between the economic nationalists, who channel Mr. Trump’s protectionist instincts, and more mainstream advisers, who worry about the effects of hard-line policies on the stock market and long-term economic growth’ […] But it also happened the same week a Chinese state-owned company came through with hundreds of millions of dollars in loans, some of which will go to facilitate the construction of Trump-branded properties in Indonesia.” [Vox, 5/15/18]
Senior U.S. Officials Struggled To Explain And Follow Through On Trump’s Decision To Rescue Chinese Telecom Giant ZTE. According to the Washington Post, “Senior U.S. officials struggled Monday to explain and act on President Trump’s abrupt decision to rescue Chinese telecom giant ZTE — a move that caught many of them by surprise. ZTE said last week that it would shutter major operations after the United States announced punitive measures in response to the company’s failure to comply with a settlement of charges for violating sanctions on Iran and North Korea. But Sunday, in a stunning reversal that officials said came without a formal policy process at the White House, Trump tweeted that he had ordered Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to save ZTE from collapse, saying the company’s failure would cost too many jobs in China. The rapidly changing U.S. position highlights the stakes — and the confusion — ahead of crucial negotiations Tuesday between Trump’s senior economic team and a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He.” [Washington Post, 5/14/18]
After Trump’s First Tweet, The White House Attempted To Walk Back His Statement. According to the Washington Post, “After Trump’s Sunday tweet, White House officials spent much of the next 24 hours attempting to walk back his statement, saying ZTE’s fate would ultimately be left up to a review by Ross. And Monday afternoon, Ross insisted in a speech at the National Press Club that ZTE would not be a factor in the trade talks, saying, ‘Our position has been that that’s an enforcement action separate from trade.’ Just three hours later, Trump tweeted again, contradicting Ross’s statement that the issues would be kept apart.” [Washington Post, 5/14/18]
Senior Republicans Stated That They Were Caught Off Guard By The President’s Decision To Come To ZTE’s Aid. According to the Washington Post, “Senior Republicans said they were caught off guard by the president’s ZTE tweet, with neither congressional leaders nor the heads of the Senate Finance and Foreign Relations committees receiving warning that the administration was contemplating lifting restrictions on the Chinese tech giant. ‘I’m kind of surprised, considering the decisions that were made previously on national security; it kind of surprises me, and I haven’t figured it out,’ said Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member of the Finance Committee. ‘The two opinions are kind of in conflict with each other.’ Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said the issue of relaxing penalties against ZTE could arise when Trump lunches with senators Tuesday.” [Washington Post, 5/14/18]
June 2018: A Trump-Affiliated Real-Estate Project In Dubai Awarded China State Construction Engineering Corporation A $20 Million Contract To Develop The Part Of The Property. According to the New York Times, “A new Trump-affiliated real-estate project in Dubai will feature an 18-hole golf course designed by Tiger Woods, extensive greenery and hundreds of luxury villas. A company controlled by Beijing will help make it a reality. The Dubai partner of President Trump’s real-estate company said this week that it had awarded China State Construction Engineering Corporation a $20 million contract to develop part of the 55 million square foot property. Under the deal, China State Construction will help build the roads and infrastructure linking up the complex, called Akoya Oxygen. Among its other amenities, the Akoya Oxygen project will include a Trump-branded golf club. The Trump World Golf Club Dubai will feature restaurants, high-end practice facilities and a well-stocked pro shop, according to the developer, Damac Properties, a Trump Organization partner in the Middle East that has helped generate millions of dollars in income for the president.” [New York Times, 6/15/18]
The CSCEC Deal Represented The Second Time In A Month That A Chinese-State Controlled Company Won Business Working On A Project Affiliated With The Trump Brand. According to the New York Times, “The deal with the Chinese company, known as CSCEC, was made by Damac, and the Trump Organization said that CSCEC had ‘no role in the development or construction of Trump World Golf Club.’ ‘The Trump Organization licenses the Trump brand name to Damac and has agreed to manage the golf course,’ Amanda Miller, a spokeswoman for the Trump Organization, said. Still, the deal represents the second time in a month that a Chinese state-controlled company has won business working on a project affiliated with the Trump brand. The deals have raised fresh questions about potential conflicts of interest for the president and his real-estate company, which has dealings from Bali to Scotland.” [New York Times, 6/15/18]
The New Deal Built On Previous Work That CSCEC Did On The Damac Properties Project. According to the New York Times, “The new deal builds on previous infrastructure work the Chinese company has done on the project affiliated with the Trump brand. It is also building a luxury 53-floor apartment building overlooking the Dubai canal as part of a separate Damac project. The company’s most recent deal with Damac was reported earlier by McClatchy. It comes just a month after the Trump Organization’s partner in Indonesia signed a contract with an arm of a Chinese state-owned company.” [New York Times, 6/15/18]
As President, Trump Continued To Profit Greatly From His Business Ties To Damac And Its Chairman Hussain Sajwani. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Trump has profited greatly from his business dealings with Damac and its chairman, Hussain Sajwani, who is sometimes called the Donald of Dubai. Mr. Trump was paid $2 million to $10 million by Damac in 2016 for Trump Organization golf properties in Dubai. He also continues to benefit from them via management fees. In 2017, he personally earned $141,433 in fees, according to his most recent financial disclosure. In 2016, he earned $12,984 in fees. At a New Year’s Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort last year, Mr. Trump called Mr. Sajwani and his family ‘the most beautiful people’ Just a few months later, Mr. Sajwani and Mr. Trump’s son Donald Jr. dined together in Dubai. Mr. Sajwani posted a photo of the two together on his Instagram account and said they discussed ‘new ideas and innovation.’ Donald Jr, and Eric, Mr. Trump’s second son, attended the wedding of Mr. Sajwani’s daughter in April.” [New York Times, 6/15/18]
July 2018: Trump’s Commerce Department Rescinded Ban On ZTE’s Operations In US. According to Politico, “Chinese telecom giant ZTE is no longer subject as of Friday to the Trump administration’s April denial order banning it from U.S. operations for seven years. The department lifted the ban on ZTE today after the company put $400 million in escrow, to be drawn by the U.S. if it violates a June agreement with Commerce.” [Politico, 7/13/18]
Trump Maintained A Track Record Of Fondness For Authoritarian Leaders And Their Governing Methods. According to Vox, “You’d think that this kind of major shift in China, one of the world’s largest countries and the one most capable of challenging America for global leadership, would be a serious concern for the White House. But Trump has a long track record of fondness for authoritarians […] Trump seems to have a genuine, somewhat instinctive disregard for civil liberties and democratic norms — and admires ‘strong’ leaders, like Xi and Erdogan, who simply cast them aside. He doesn’t like constraints on his own authority and wishes he could act like those who don’t have them. Trump ‘has what you might think of as autocratic tendencies, which were probably perfectly normal in the business world but are very problematic in the political world,’ Sheri Berman, a professor at Barnard College, told me last year. ‘What he would like to do is eliminate all sources of opposition to him — indeed, even sources of criticism of him — and he’s willing to do pretty much anything to do that.’” [Vox, 2/27/18]
Trump Failed To Condemn President Xi’s Constitutional Amendment To Eliminate Term Limits For The Presidency. According to Vox, “Over the weekend, Chinese President Xi Jinping essentially declared his intention to stay in power for life. He began the process of amending China’s constitution to eliminate term limits for the presidency. This move, which seems very likely to succeed due to Xi’s influence among the Chinese leadership class, will upend a political system that depended on regular and orderly transfers of power between members of the ruling Communist Party. In effect, Xi’s new policy changes China from a one-party authoritarian country to one-man rule […] As such, you’d expect the United States — whose president has long claimed the mantle of “leader of the free world” — to condemn it. President Donald Trump basically did the polar opposite. During a Monday afternoon meeting with US governors, he said he had ‘great respect’ for Xi, adding that he had a ‘very good relationship’ with the Chinese leader. When White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked about the term limit issue specifically, she seemed to imply that America was fine with Xi’s power grab. ‘I believe that’s a decision for China to make about what’s best for their country,’ she told reporters.” [Vox, 2/27/18]
Trump Told Donors That China’s President Xi Jinping, Was Now “President For Life,” And That He Thinks “It’s Great.” According to the New York Times, “The comment was made behind closed doors, and appeared to be in jest: President Trump told donors on Saturday that China’s president, Xi Jinping, was now ‘president for life,’ and added: ‘I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll want to give that a shot someday.’ The remarks, confirmed by a leading Republican lobbyist who attended the luncheon at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, were first aired by CNN, which obtained an audio recording of his comments.” [New York Times, 3/4/18]
Protests In Hong Kong Started In June 2019 Against Plans To Allow Extradition To Mainland China, With Critics Fearing The Move Would Undermine Judicial Independence And Endanger Dissidents. According to BBC, “Hong Kong's protests started in June against plans to allow extradition to mainland China. Critics feared this could undermine judicial independence and endanger dissidents. Until 1997, Hong Kong was ruled by Britain as a colony but then returned to China. Under the ‘one country, two systems’ arrangement, it has some autonomy, and its people more rights. The bill was withdrawn in September but demonstrations continue and now demand full democracy and an inquiry into police actions. Clashes between police and activists have become increasingly violent, with police firing live bullets and protesters attacking officers and throwing petrol bombs.” [BBC, 11/28/19]
July 22, 2019: Trump Praised Xi Jinping’s Response To The Hong Kong Protests, Stating That “President Xi Of China Has Acted Responsibly, Very Responsibly.” According to the Financial Times, “Donald Trump has praised Chinese leader Xi Jinping over his handling of the protests in Hong Kong, after a weekend that saw police fire tear gas at demonstrators and a mob launched a vicious attack on pro-democracy campaigners. The US president told reporters at a White House meeting with Imran Khan, Pakistan’s prime minister, that the weeks of protests had been ‘relatively non-violent’, adding that Mr Xi should be applauded for letting them continue. ‘I think [China] could stop them if they wanted . . . I’m not involved in it very much but I think President Xi of China has acted responsibly, very responsibly,’ he said.” [Financial Times, 7/23/19]
Trump: If President Xi Would Meet Personally With The Protesters, There Would Be A Happy And Enlightened Ending To The Hong Kong Problem. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Trump has voiced his strongest support for Chinese President Xi Jinping, not the protesters seeking democratic reforms, praising the Communist leader as “a good man in a ‘tough business.’” “If President Xi would meet directly and personally with the protesters, there would be a happy and enlightened ending to the Hong Kong problem,” Trump tweeted Thursday. “I have no doubt!” But Trump has also linked the anti-government protests with his damaging trade war with China, showing his fixation on reaching an agreement with Beijing and injecting a combustible new bargaining chip into already volatile negotiations. “Of course China wants to make a deal,” he tweeted. “Let them work humanely with Hong Kong first!” [Los Angeles Times, 8/15/19]
Trump Was Reluctant To Publicly Support The Protesters Seeking Free Elections And Other Demands In Hong Kong. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Although some protests have ended in violent clashes with police, Democratic and Republican lawmakers and State Department officials have steadfastly backed the protesters’ demands or voiced their opposition to a harsh crackdown by Beijing. But Trump has been reluctant to publicly support the protesters seeking free elections and other demands. ‘It’s a very tricky situation. I think it will work out and I hope it works out, for liberty.’ Trump told reporters this week. ‘I hope it works out for everybody, including China.’ Before that, Trump praised Xi for acting ‘very responsibly’ by allowing the protests to continue. Yaqiu Wang, a China researcher at Human Rights Watch, described Trump’s praise for Xi as ‘very disturbing.’” [Los Angeles Times, 8/15/19]
Trump Stated That A U.S. Bull Supporting Human Rights In Hong Kong Did Not Help Trade Negotiations. According to Time, “President Donald Trump said on Monday that a U.S. bill supporting human rights in Hong Kong would not make trade war negotiations easier, but he believes that China still wants to agree to a deal with the U.S. The new legislation ‘doesn’t make it better, but we’ll see what happens,’ he said, according to Reuters. Trump was referring to the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which he signed into law last week as anti-government protests in the Asian financial hub entered their sixth month. The move comes as world’s two largest economies try to agree on the first phase of a trade deal.” [Time, 12/3/19]
November 27, 2019: After The Bill Passed Both The House And Senate By Veto-Proof Majorities, Trump Signed The Hong Kong Human Rights And Democracy Act. According to the New York Times, “President Trump on Wednesday signed tough legislation that authorizes sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for human rights abuses in Hong Kong, signaling support for pro-democracy activists and escalating tensions with Beijing as Mr. Trump tries to negotiate a trade deal with Chinese leaders […] Whether Mr. Trump would sign the legislation had been a subject of debate. He refused to commit to doing so as late as last Friday, saying that he supported the protesters but that President Xi Jinping of China was ‘a friend of mine.’ But Mr. Trump was left with few options: The bill had passed both the House and the Senate by veto-proof majorities.” [New York Times, 11/27/19]
Trump Touted The Progress He Made Alongside President Xi Concerning North Korea. According to a tweet from Donald Trump, “Had a very good talk with President Xi of China concerning our giant Trade Deal. China has already started large scale purchaes of agricultural product & more. Formal signing being arranged. Also talked about North Korea, where we are working with China, & Hong Kong (progress!).” [Twitter, @realdonaldtrump, 12/20/19]
Trump Said China Was A “Big Help” In US Dealings With North Korea. According to CNBC, “U.S. President Donald Trump said China has been ‘a big help’ in America’s dealings with North Korea, but added that he believed the hermit kingdom was ‘calling its own shots.’ Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, Trump was asked whether China came up in his discussions with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. ‘China’s been a big help, bigger than most people know,’ said the American president, before adding that he believed ‘North Korea is calling its own shots.’” [CNBC, 2/28/19]
Trump: China Wanted To See The North Korea Problem Solved. According to CNBC, “Trump said he believed China ‘can’t love having a nuclear state’ right across its borders and that Beijing would want to see ‘the problem solved.’” [CNBC, 2/28/19]
Trump Tweeted That He Was Good Friends With President Xi. According to a tweet from Donald Trump, “Please do not forget the great help that my good friend, President Xi of China, has given to the United States, particularly at the Border of North Korea. Without him it would have been a much longer, tougher, process!” [Twitter, @realdonaldtrump, 4/27/18]
Trump Tweeted That He Was Impressed That President Xi And His Representatives Were Willing To State The Facts About Trade So Accurately. According to a tweet from Donald Trump, “Great respect for the fact that President Xi & his Representatives want “calm resolution.” So impressed that they are willing to come out & state the facts so accurately. This is why he is a great leader & representing a great country. Talks are continuing!” [Twitter, @realdonaldtrump, 8/26/19]
During His January 2017 Visit To China, Trump Complimented China On Its Ability To Take Advantage Of Other Countries Through Trade. According to Quartz, “His next remarks seems to have caught many listeners by surprise. ‘But I don’t blame China. After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country for the benefit of its citizens? I give China great credit. But in actuality, I do blame past administrations for allowing this out of control trade deficit to take place and to grow. We have to fix this because it just doesn’t work.’ The comments—more back-handed compliment than olive branch—met with (possibly embarrassed) laughter and applause from attendees, which can be heard on state media’s live-stream of the event.” [Quartz, 11/9/17]
Bolton Expressed Concern To AG Barr That Trump Was Granting “Personal Favors” To Xi Jinping. According to the New York Times, “John R. Bolton, the former national security adviser, privately told Attorney General William P. Barr last year that he had concerns that President Trump was effectively granting personal favors to the autocratic leaders of Turkey and China, according to an unpublished manuscript by Mr. Bolton. Mr. Barr responded by pointing to a pair of Justice Department investigations of companies in those countries and said he was worried that Mr. Trump had created the appearance that he had undue influence over what would typically be independent inquiries, according to the manuscript. Backing up his point, Mr. Barr mentioned conversations Mr. Trump had with the leaders, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and President Xi Jinping of China.” [New York Times, 1/27/20]
Trump Would Not Say If He Would Militarily Support Taiwan If China Invaded. According to Reuters, “Trump was mum on whether the United States would support Taiwan militarily if China invaded the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. ‘I don't talk about that. And the reason I don't is because it would hurt my negotiating position,’ he said. ‘All I can tell you is for four years, there was no threat. And it wouldn't happen if I were president.’” [Reuters, 6/29/23]
Trump Suggested The U.S. Would Not Come To Taiwan’s Defense If Attacked By China During A Second Trump Administration. According to Newsweek, “Former President Donald Trump's comments suggesting the United States should not help Taiwan in the event of an invasion from China has sparked a new wave of anger and concern on social media. Trump, who is the leading favorite to secure the GOP nomination for president after winning the Iowa caucus on Monday, sat for an interview on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo where he was asked if, under a hypothetical second Trump presidency, the U.S. would protect Taiwan from Chinese aggression even if it meant going to war with China. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, but the Communist Party leadership has never controlled the self-ruled island in its seven decades in power in Beijing. The former president declined to give a firm answer, but did suggest discontent with Taiwan for allegedly taking semiconductor business away from the U.S. ‘Taiwan did take all of our chip business,’ Trump said. ‘We used to make all of our own chips, now they're made in Taiwan, 90 percent of [them]...Remember this, Taiwan took, smart, brilliant, they took our business away.’” [Newsweek, 1/21/24]