Franklin, Andrews, Kramer & Edelstein

[scion]

Trump’s Swamp Was Murkier Than We Ever Knew

By Rosalind Mathieson
21 July 2021, 11:03 BST
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-07-21/trump-s-swamp-was-murkier-than-we-ever-knew

When Donald Trump campaigned for the presidency in 2016 he famously vowed to “drain the swamp” in Washington — including the machinery that spins around the Capitol each day trying to influence policy making. Turns out the swamp got even murkier.

Trump brought a transactional approach to the White House. He was always eyeing a potential deal, and he didn’t worry too much about with whom. That meant he entertained leaders that others spurned, like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.

In particular, the Trump White House seemed keen to cut deals in the Middle East. Trump’s own family members made frequent trips there, having a very warm relationship with the now-ex Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan even as lawmakers in Congress demanded penalties on their countries for alleged human rights and sanctions violations. He argued the U.S. needed to keep business channels open and see the potential for investment and trade in the region.

But it seems the quietest influence building was going on behind the scenes, in the opaque world of lobbying. Trump’s former inaugural chairman Tom Barrack and two associates have been charged with failing to register as foreign agents for work they allegedly did to promote the United Arab Emirates’ policy interests.

Many countries have lobbying muscle in DC (Qatar being one), but at least make a show of going through a front door. The UAE potentially found a quiet entrance down an illegal back alley.

The question is — were they the only ones? — Rosalind Mathieson

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-07-21/trump-s-swamp-was-murkier-than-we-ever-knew