Trump to remove himself from business and focus on presidency

On January 11, 2017, just a week after his inauguration, President Donald Trump announced that he would be removing himself from his business operations to focus on his presidency. This move was seen as a significant step towards addressing concerns about conflicts of interest and the potential for his business dealings to influence his policy decisions.

In a statement, Trump said: "I will be leaving my great business in order to fully focus on the presidency, placing an emphasis on improving the economy, creating jobs, and making our country strong and prosperous again."

To achieve this, Trump established a trust to manage his business empire, which was overseen by his sons Donald Jr. and Eric Trump. The trust, known as the Trump Organization, was responsible for making decisions about the company's operations and investments.

Trump also signed an executive order on January 20, 2017, which prohibited federal employees from working on matters related to his business or personal financial interests. This order was intended to ensure that his administration was free from conflicts of interest and that his business dealings did not influence his policy decisions.

However, despite these efforts, Trump's decision to remove himself from his business operations was met with skepticism by many ethics experts and critics, who argued that it did not go far enough to address the potential conflicts of interest.

Some of the concerns included:

1. Lack of transparency: Trump's decision did not provide clear information about how his business would be managed or how his financial interests would be disclosed.
2. Potential for conflicts of interest: Trump's business empire included a wide range of interests, from real estate to entertainment, which could potentially create conflicts of interest with his policy decisions.
3. Failure to divest: Trump did not divest himself of his business interests, which meant that he could still benefit financially from his presidency.

In response to these concerns, Trump's critics argued that he should have taken more drastic measures to separate himself from his business operations, such as divesting himself of his business interests or placing his assets in a blind trust.

Overall, while Trump's decision to remove himself from his business operations was seen as a step in the right direction, it was not enough to fully address the concerns about conflicts of interest and the potential for his business dealings to influence his policy decisions.