If Trump is re-elected, his business could cause friction.
Donald Trump is making money with a variety of new ventures as he seeks re-election for a second term. But unlike his first term, when he halted new international deals and hired an outside ethics adviser, he has not promised to rein in the company’s freewheeling ways.
This year alone, his business has closed real estate deals in countries central to American foreign policy, including Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Doing business overseas with government agencies as well as traditional companies creates an ethical minefield, experts say, and both those governments and the Trump family’s business interests could benefit from U.S. foreign policy. The house said.
Such conflicts are nothing new for President Trump, but there are more of them now. Legal and ethics experts said that even if he were to win, he would have little ability to curb such moves.
Your question: We asked campaign finance director Theodore Schleifer this question from a reader.
I am surprised that Elon Musk is allowed to offer (large amounts of) money in exchange for signing petitions and registering to vote. Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of the petition? Could that be considered a vote bribe? — Marie Pauline Dessett, NSW, Australia
Theodore: Musk claims he’s not offering money to register to vote, only to sign petitions. The problem, however, is that the petition is open only to registered voters, which some legal commentators believe is effectively an invitation to register to vote.
To be honest, the exact purpose of the petition is not entirely clear. Mr. Musk has collected data on the most ardent supporters of his political agenda, giving him a world of sophisticated voters to likely target Mr. Trump on Election Day. Is this just to get earned media, or do they want to use that data in future operations? I have no idea.
Details: Theodore and my colleagues reported on a warning from the Department of Justice that masks may violate federal law. The Philadelphia district attorney accused him of setting up what amounted to an “illegal lottery.”
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Election day is November 5th.
Israeli airstrikes kill dozens in Gaza Strip
At least 55 people were killed in an Israeli attack on a residential building in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, the Palestinian Civil Defense Agency said. The Gaza Ministry of Health said at least 93 people were killed, including 25 children.
It was the third time in a week that the town had been attacked. The Biden administration said it had contacted the Israeli government to ask about what a spokesperson called a “horrific incident.” Many of the structures that remain in Gaza are extremely crowded, with many families taking shelter in the increasingly few remaining buildings.
More Middle East news:
At least 60 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley on Monday.
Hezbollah has named Naim Qassem, its longtime vice president, as its new leader.
US military is preparing for war with China
The large and unwieldy U.S. military is transforming itself to be able to deploy rapidly in Asia.
The Army has spent the past two decades fighting the Taliban and other insurgent groups, but a war with China will be very different. First, China has satellites that can monitor military movements from the air. Such wars will be fought on land, sea, air, and space. So the Army is training for exactly that.
The members of the Chinese band Valinas are both farmers and rock stars. They see land and music as inseparable, and their lyrics mention pesticides and poultry farming. They offer music fans a refreshing respite from the country’s overly commercialized popular entertainers and the cutthroat competition of modern China.
Survived: Teri Garr, 1970s and ’80s movie star who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Tootsie, has died at age 79.
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Benin Bronze came home. Well, what is it?
In the award-winning documentary Dahomey, French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop captures the emotional homecoming of the Benin Bronze players in 2021.
Art historians have hailed the return of 26 works of art looted by France in the 19th century as a landmark move that will pave the way for a steady stream of repatriations. This was the most important return of works of art ever from a former colonial power to an African country.
But three years after the cameras stopped rolling, these artefacts are once again off-limits to Benin citizens, and plans for a new museum to display the treasures have stalled.
