Which foreign entities are booking big-money events at Trump properties?
WASHINGTON -- Anyone can book an event at a Trump golf club or hotel, and profits can go to President Trump through his trust. So, who's doing this?
Turkish Airlines, half-owned by the Turkish government, paid for its annual tournament at President Trump's Doral golf course in Miami in April.
Last month, a member of the ruling family of the United Arab Emirates and Turkish Airlines were among the sponsors of a Turkish-American conference at Trump International Hotel, just a few blocks from the White House.
And just a month after the inauguration, the government of Kuwait financed a National Day celebration. The site: that same Trump Organization-owned hotel in Washington.
The president still owns his company, so he still benefits from business generated at his properties.
But some legal experts say money from foreign governments, like Turkey and Kuwait, spent at Trump properties, might run afoul of the Constitution.
"Because Donald Trump was unwilling to sell his businesses, and he continues to own them, foreign governments continue to have a way of channeling money to him in an effort to influence him and U.S. policy," said Kathleen Clark, who teaches government ethics at Washington University Law School.
The emoluments clause, which forbids foreign governments from funneling money to the president, was designed to prevent presidential bribery.
Sheri Dillon, one of Mr. Trump's attorneys, spelled out how she'd avoid a violation, back in January.
"He is going to voluntarily donate all profits from foreign government payments made to his hotels to the United States Treasury," Dillon said.
The Trump Organization says it will make that donation at the end of its fiscal year. It created a glossy handout to guide its finance team, but some legal experts say the guidance is ridden with loopholes.
It says banking, defense, energy, health care and other sectors "may not be reasonably identifiable as foreign government entities" and "therefore may not be included."
"The pamphlet that the Trump Organization put together regarding the emoluments clause, that portion reads like a road map to foreign governments on how to channel money to the president," Clark said.
CBS News asked the Trump Organization if they consider money from Turkish Airlines to be from a foreign government, but it didn't respond.
The Justice Department says the emoluments clause shouldn't apply to Mr. Trump's situation because it was an existing business and customers are paying market rates.
