A senior Senate Democrat is asking the Treasury Department to evaluate whether President Donald Trump and his family's business associates and possible investors from Russia and other countries have violated US laws against financing terrorism, money laundering and other illicit activities.
Trump's refusal to jettison or disclose investments that create potential conflicts of interest raises concern over his extensive international holdings, Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio said in a letter today to the new Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin. Brown is the senior Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee.
Brown asked Mnuchin whether he has requested or received from Trump and his family a complete list of their investors and business partners.
The Treasury Department has responsibility to enforce US laws and sanctions against terrorist financing, bank secrecy and money laundering.
A Treasury spokesman didn't immediately return a request for comment today.
"Given the potential conflicts with (US) laws posed by the vast holdings and business activities of the president and his family, have they provided you - or have you requested from them and received - a comprehensive list of their investors, business partners, politically exposed persons and related actors?" Brown asked Mnuchin in the letter. "It is in the interest of the Trump family and the American people that Treasury independently assess any risks associated with these investors."
If he hasn't already done so, Brown asked Mnuchin to request from Trump a full list, so that the Treasury, other regulators and US intelligence officials can assess the foreign partners and investors.
Brown cited a 2008 statement by son Donald Trump Jr that Trump businesses "see a lot of money pouring in from Russia."
He asked whether ownership or investment deals with Russians might allow "opportunities for economic leverage over the president or any of his family members or associates."
Trump visited construction sites and met with city officials during visits to Russia, and he presided at a Miss Universe pageant. But he didn't strike any real estate deals, though he discussed several deals in three visits dating to 1987.
Russia as well as several Russian leaders and business executives have come under international and US sanctions in recent years.
Trump has been shadowed by questions about potential ties to Russia since winning the election in November.
Trump has his name on hotels, residential towers and resorts stretching from South Korea and the Philippines in Asia to Uruguay in South America and Turkey in the Middle East. Indonesia, Panama and India are among the other locations where he has struck deals.
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