Daily Download on the latest news and top issues of the day concerning the transition.
Trump Tower is still reeling from the corroboration of yesterday’s press conference and its several new announcements, and today served as the perfect opportunity to reflect on and absorb the changes in administration.
Yesterday, Trump’s lawyer Dillon said that the President-elect would donate the profits his hotels generate from foreign governments to the Treasury. She also clarified that the Emoluments Clause in the Constitution, which prohibits individuals holding office in the U.S. from accepting payments from the foreign state, does not apply to simple hotel visits.
One of the announcements that were overshadowed by the unverified dossier published by BuzzFeed was the nomination of Dr. David J. Shulkin as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, a very critical appointment for the President-Elect as his much of his support can be accredited to the Veterans Coalition for Trump. Dr. Shulkin leads the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system and has held several leadership positions throughout his career, many of which involved veteran healthcare philanthropy and work. President-Elect Trump has spoken very well of Dr. Shulkin, saying:
“Sadly our great veterans have not gotten the level of care they deserve, but Dr. Shulkin has the experience and the vision to ensure we will meet the healthcare needs of every veteran. Dr. Shulkin is an incredibly gifted doctor who is using his elite talents for medicine to care for our heroes, and Americans can have faith he will get the job done right.”
One of the most interesting events of the day was the sighting of Marie Le Pen at the Trump Tower. Around 2 PM, Sean Spicer entered the lobby to address questions regarding Le Pen’s presence in the building, to which he responded that Trump Tower “[is] a public building”, but that Le Pen did not meet with Trump or his staff. When the press later contacted Louis Aliot, Le Pen’s partner, to inquire about whether Le Pen was planning on speaking to the press, they received the following response: “Private visit. No statement”
Read more: The Three Most Important Takeaways From The First Press Conference Of Donald J. Trump