Trump's Call To Turkey's Erdogan Highlights The Ethical Mess He's Brought To The White House

WASHINGTON This week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a referendum in which he narrowly won the ability to claim broad new governmental powers. The referendum was treated by international observers as a grotesque power grab, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman warned all who value democracy ... should be concerned.

But President Donald Trump didnt see it that way. Instead, he phoned Erdogan to congratulate him on the win. Foreign policy experts may have been perplexed at the presidents seeming comfort with creeping authoritarianism. But soon thereafter, explanations emerged.

It wasnt just that Trump has an affinity for strong men. His family has direct ties to Erdogan himself. Back in April 2012, the Turkish president joined the Trump family at the opening of Trump Towers Istanbul.

Thank you Prime Minister Erdogan for joining us yesterday to celebrate the launch of #TrumpTowers Istanbul!

Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 20, 2012","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Ivanka Trump","author_url":"https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump","cache_age":86400,"description":"Thank you Prime Minister Erdogan for joining us yesterday to celebrate the launch of #TrumpTowers Istanbul!— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 20, 2012\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Ivanka Trump on 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Thank you Prime Minister Erdogan for joining us yesterday to celebrate the launch of #TrumpTowers Istanbul!
Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 20, 2012

Never before in U.S. history have the president and his private business interests been so entangled with matters of public affairs. Trumps affairs have led to accusations that he is hopelessly conflicted, ever more so because of his reliance on his children (themselves players in the Trump business empire) to help with his administration.

Weve seen an unprecedented number of conflicts of interest stemming from this administration, said Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for the ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Are the presidents comments toward Erdogan related to his support for a Trump property? We cant know, but its a question we unfortunately are forced to ask.

In response to criticisms like these, Trump has insisted that he can act independently, precisely because he has accrued enough wealth to make him incorruptible. But the case of the Turkey referendum exposes another way in which Trumps past life is now complicating his presidency: He has numerous business-related connections with public officials from other countries with whom he now must conduct public diplomacy.

Take, for example, Trumps schedule for this week. The president is set to welcome Argentine President Mauricio Macri to the White House in order to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including the deteriorating situation in Venezuela.

Macri, the son of a wealthy real estate developer, has known Trump for more than three decades. He and his father sold Trump real estate in Manhattan in the 1980s. I spent millions of hours with him. How is Trump? Hes like that: a very showoff, very exhibitionist kind of guy, Macri said in an interview last year. Its all an act, from morning till night.

And when Macri visits the White House, it will be with a specific objective: Argentina is hoping to dramatically expand trade relations with the United States.

Already, the ties between the two leaders have raised questions about Trumps conduct in office. Last year, the Argentine government denied a report that Trump sought help from Macri in expediting a stalled Trump construction project in Buenos Aires following his election in November.

Argentina isnt the only nation to which Trump has ties that expand his business and political portfolios. The former president of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, met with Trump and Donald Trump Jr. years ago to discuss hosting a Trump-run beauty pageant in the country. He was also there for the opening of the Trump Ocean Club, in Punta Pacifica, Panama City, where Trump reportedly referred to him as a friend.