First, there’s ample reason to believe Trump’s denial is a lie. After all, there’s no reason for Johnson, the president’s financial supporter and handpicked ambassador, to make this up.
Second, even the denial reeks of corruption. In response to a question about misusing his office to help his business, the president used the White House podium to praise and promote his business.
What’s more, if Trump is under the impression that his denial will help make the questions go away, he’s likely to be disappointed. Keep in mind that in the NYT’s initial reporting we learned that complaints were raised with the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General last fall. The article added, “The findings were submitted in February, and the complaints are expected to be included, according to one of the investigators. It is not clear why the review has not been made public.”
This is a thread worth pulling on. What were those findings? Where’s the report? What did the State Department’s inspector general conclude? How much of it covers the British Open mess?
