As the White House tried to contain reports that President Donald Trump shared highly classified information with Russia, one of the Trump Organization's hotels was apparently vandalized Monday evening.Reports of a light being projected on the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C. began circulating on social media.
Several messages were displayed in a blueish light. The Washington Post reported that the words "PAY TRUMP BRIBES HERE" appeared above the entrance to the building, along with an arrow pointing toward the entrance of the hotel.
Another projection read, "EMOLUMENTS WELCOME" - an apparent reference to the emoluments clause that became a point of contention amid arguments about Trump's financial conflicts of interest in the early days of his presidency. The "emoluments" message was displayed over a backdrop of Turkey's flag.
Trump is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later this week, to examine how to deepen "cooperation to confront terrorism in all its forms."
The projection also appeared to be followed by Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the Emoluments Clause, a provision in the US Constitution, that Trump has been criticized to have violated during his presidency:
It was not clear who orchestrated the display. The Post said that a passerby told a reporter a man had projected the words and images at about 9:30 p.m. local time. Within an hour, the projection was gone.