Trump’s Not So Vast Real Estate Empire

To be sure PE Trump’s owns more real estate than 99% of American but it’s not that great.  It actually is a very short list:

• 40 Wall Street Office Building
• 2 hotels in Chicago and DC
• Mara Lago Resort
• New York Trump Tower commercial space and personal residence
• Minority stakes in two buildings owned by Vornado Real Estate
• 3 Hotel partnerships in Vegas and NY
• Building management company for Trump labeled properties
• Trump name licensing deals (majority of Trump’s “empire” and could be over 500)

Although the list is short it does represent significant unprecedented conflicts of interest for Trump.  The real estate Trump owns or has ownership interests in are in lucrative real estate markets and could easily be sold.  The same is true for the building management company.   His licensing deals may be the most troublesome but they can either be sold or put into a blind trust for management.

The biggest issue with selling assets and establishing a true blind trust may have to do with Trumps children.  His children are active managers of his businesses.  Eliminating Trump’s conflict of interest may result in unemployment for them.

Given the many reports so far of Trump’s inability or unwillingness to separate Trump business from his duties as President, there may be no other way to eliminate the conflicts of interest.

Here are a few of the reports of Trump mixing his business with his elected office:

http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/308712-ivanka-was-finalizing-deal-with-japanese-apparel-giant-when-she

http://nypost.com/2016/11/21/trump-accused-of-using-call-with-argentina-president-for-personal-business/

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/donald-trump-business-white-house-conflict-interests

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/how-republicans-justify-unlimited-trump-corruption.html