- President Donald Trump reportedly asked the US ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2018 to find out if it was possible that the British Open could be organized at the Trump Turnberry complex in Scotland, The New York Times reported.
- The request would violate a federal conflict of interest law that prohibits the president from using his political influence for personal gain.
- In the case of the golf tournament, the British and Scottish governments would likely have to pay for security and accommodation costs, which would ultimately benefit Trump.
- Johnson asked Scottish Secretary of State David Mundell that the British Open could be moved to a Trump resort, three sources familiar with the situation told the Times. According to the Times report, none of the next four British openings will take place at the Turnberry complex.
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President Donald Trump asked the U.S. ambassador to Britain in 2018 to request that the British Open be held at the Trump Turnberry Resort in Scotland, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
According to reports, Robert Wood “Woody” Johnson IV, the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, asked Scottish Secretary of State David Mundell if the Turnberry complex could host the golf tournament, three people familiar with the request they told the Times.
The ambassador’s deputy, Lewis Lukens, who previously served as acting US ambassador to the UK before Johnson, was reportedly warned Johnson not to make the request as it would be a conflict of interest and unethical use of political power for the personal company of the president. host the event, according to The Times report.
Lukens, concerned about the request, sent an email to State Department officials in light of the alleged conversation between Johnson and Mundell, The Times reported. According to the Times report, none of the next four British openings will take place at the Turnberry complex.
Mundell told the Times in an interview last week that it would be “inappropriate” to discuss his talks with Johnson at the time and noted a statement by the British government claiming that the United States ambassador “did not make a request to Mr. Mundell regarding to the British Open or any other sporting event. “
The White House declined to comment on the Times report.
The President is prohibited from requesting to organize such events in resorts operated by the Trump Organization due to a federal conflict of interest law known as emolument clauses of the Constitution. In the case of the British Open, the British and Scottish governments would likely have to pay for security and accommodation costs, which would ultimately benefit Trump.
The emolument clause also came to light in a separate incident last year after Trump planned to host the Group of 7 summit at his Miami Doral resort in Florida, but the plan was rejected amid a backlash from the controversial decision.
