Trump Org may sell D.C. hotel

The Trump Organization is considering selling the Trump International Hotel, according to a story by the New York Times.

“Since we opened our doors, we have received tremendous interest in this hotel and as real-estate developers, we are always willing to explore our options,” Eric Trump said Friday in a statement. “People are objecting to us making so much money on the hotel, and therefore we may be willing to sell.”

Perhaps eclipsed only by the President Donald Trump’s recent suggestion that the Trump Doral resort in Miami be used as a site for the upcoming G7 meeting, the Trump Washington property has long been a lightning rod for criticism. The President’s ownership of the Trump International Hotel, formerly the Old Post Office, has led ethics watchdogs and Democratic politicians to constantly cite the use of the hotel by foreign leaders, corporate executives, diplomats, and other power brokers as a potential violation of the U.S. Constitution’s emoluments clause.

A case charging Trump with violation of the emoluments clause was dismissed unanimously from federal court earlier this summer, though a number of other lawsuits claiming similar violations are still pending.

The Trump Organization also says it addresses the issue of payments from foreign governments by sending an annual check covering those profits to the federal government. Last year, it sent a $191,538 check covering spending by foreign governments at all Trump properties.

After opening in 2016, the Trump D.C. hotel has performed well, becoming one of the largest single sources of revenue for the Trump family, per the Times examination of the company’s financial records. Earlier analysis of the hotel’s performance suggested it was over-performing, despite both being mostly empty and having some of the highest room rates in town.