- President Trump, in remarks at a Cabinet meeting Monday, hit back at critics who had claimed he had sought to benefit from the publicity of using his his golf resort in Doral, Florida, to host the G7.
- "They say, 'Oh, you get promotion.' You don't think I get enough promotion? I get more promotion than any human being that's ever lived," Trump said. "I don't need promotion."
- Despite his argument, Trump nonetheless scrapped his plan to host the summit there over the weekend, after from within his own party.
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President Donald Trump, in remarks at a Cabinet meeting Monday, claimed that his reversed decision to hold the G7 summit at his Florida golf resort wasn't anything to do with publicity, as he already gets more publicity than anyone in history.
"They say, 'Oh, you get promotion.' You don't think I get enough promotion? I get more promotion than any human being that's ever lived," Trump said. "I don't need promotion."
The decision to hold the summit at the Trump National Doral Miami resort was announced last week by acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, who said that the event would be hosted "at cost" and the president would not profit.
The announcement quickly drew accusations of corruption by Democrats and critics, who said that even if the event did not directly turn a profit for Trump, holding it at the struggling resort would undoubtedly be a PR win.
At the Monday meeting Trump repeated the claim he would not have financially profited.
According to The New York Times, it was when moderate members of his own party said that they could not defend the decision that Trump announced that a different venue was being sought.
Publicly Trump blamed the reversal on "crazed and irrational" hostility from Democrats and the media.
"I was going to do it at no cost or give it free... It's a lot of money I would've given away, like I give away my salary," he said. "I give away my salary. It's I guess close to $450,000 - I give it away. Nobody ever says he gives away his salary."
The president also lashed out at the emoluments clause, a part of the US Constitution that bars the president and other government officials from seeking or receiving gifts or financial help from foreign powers.
"You people with this phony emoluments clause," remarked Trump to reporters. "And by the way, I would say that it's cost me anywhere from $2 billion to $5 billion to be president. And that's OK."
President Trump on Doral: "I was going to do it at no cost or give it free... It's a lot of money I would've given away, like I give away my salary. I give away my salary. It's I guess close to $450,000 -- I give it away. Nobody ever says he gives away his salary." pic.twitter.com/O0t1sEoKCj
- The Hill (@thehill) October 21, 2019