As the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump stands to become even richer, but there’s at least one way we can band together and mitigate his personal gain. Unlike past presidents, the businessman has refused to set up a blind trust or sell his assets. Instead, he’ll leave three of his children in charge of Trump Organization, a multibillion-dollar company that operates across the globe. This means that the decisions he makes as president could end up fattening his pockets. “There would be nothing that would preclude him from making a decision on trade or otherwise that could impact, for better or worse, those interests,” Don Fox – the former General Counsel and Acting Director of the Office of Government Ethics – to Time. “It simply would not be a violation of law.”
In the three weeks since Trump won the presidency, there’s already been at least one eyebrow-raising incident. Days after speaking with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, his Trump Office Buenos Aires – a $100 million project plagued with financing and permitting requirements – moved forward. Argentine journalist Jorge Lanata claimed that during the 15-minute conversation between Trump and Macri, the president-elect asked for a permit, Salon reports.
And while we expect more conflict of interest accusations to come, there’s at least something we can do now to hit him where it most hurts. As Trump – who’s spent so much time disparaging our most vulnerable communities – gears up to step into a role that could mean so much damage, activists are calling for the boycott of businesses connected to him. Even though there’s already lists that names all the companies that either directly put money in Trump’s pocket or vocally support him, the Democratic Coalition Against Trump makes it easier. With its free app, Boycott Trump, the group has created a database of more than 250 Trump-affiliated companies.
“This app is a first step in our larger Boycott Trump campaign, which will feature a unified grassroots movement centered on holding companies and individuals that help Trump in any way accountable,” Nate Lerner, executive director of Democratic Coalition Against Trump, told the Huffington Post. “The campaign is all about empowerment. By doing so, we aim to give people a safe and productive way to voice their disapproval of Trump. We’ve accepted Trump won the election, but that doesn’t mean we have to accept everything he stands for.”
Users can use the search function to type in a company’s name. The results will tell them how the business is tied to Trump.
Download the app on the Google Play Store or iTunes.
H/T The Root