Eric Trump and Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiya, a Qatari government official Qatari Diar's Chairman.Qatari Diar press release

This story was originally published by Popular Information, a substack publication to which you can subscribe here.

On January 10, 2025, President Trump released an “ethics agreement” detailing how he would handle his personal business interests while in the White House. It is remarkably weak and does not require Trump to divest any of his holdings. Unlike a similar agreement for his first term, it does not prohibit the Trump Organization from striking new deals abroad while Trump is president. Instead, it simply prohibits the Trump Organization from striking deals directly with foreign governments.

Trump’s second-term ethics agreement is such a permissive document that it is challenging to find a way to violate it. But three months into his presidency, Trump has found a way.

Last Thursday, the Trump Organization struck a deal to build a $5.5 billion Trump International Golf Club in Qatar. To develop the project, the Trump Organization is partnering with Dar Global, a Saudi Arabian company, and Qatari Diar, a company owned by the Qatari government. Qatari Diar was established by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund in 2005. Its stated purpose is to “coordinate the country’s real estate development priorities.”

Eric Trump, who runs the Trump Organization, 

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