Trump not allowed to dismantle foundation while it's under investigation
U.S. president-elect taps Thomas Bossert to advise on homeland security, counterterrorism
Donald Trump cannot move ahead with his plan to dismantle his charitable foundation because state prosecutors are probing whether the president-elect personally benefited from its spending, the New York Attorney General's Office said Tuesday.
"The Trump foundation is still under investigation by this office and cannot legally dissolve until that investigation is complete," said Amy Spitalnick, spokeswoman for Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
The statement came after Trump announced he wanted to dissolve the Donald J. Trump Foundation, part of what his presidential transition team says is an effort to erase any potential conflicts of interest before he takes office Jan. 20.
But the foundation's inner workings have been the subject of Schneiderman's investigation for months and could remain a thorny issue for Trump's incoming administration. Democrats have said they are ready to raise any legal or ethical issues from Trump's global business empire during his presidency.
Trump's charity has admitted it violated IRS regulations barring it from using its money or assets to benefit him, his family, his companies or substantial contributors to the foundation.
The admissions by the Donald J. Trump Foundation were in a 2015 tax filing made public after a presidential election in which it was revealed that Trump has used the charity to settle lawsuits, make a $25,000 political contribution and purchase items, such as a painting of himself, that was displayed at one of his properties.
Trump asserted on Twitter late Monday that his foundation was run efficiently.
"The DJT Foundation, unlike most foundations, never paid fees, rent, salaries or any expenses," the president-elect tweeted. "100% of the money goes to wonderful charities."
The DJT Foundation, unlike most foundations, never paid fees, rent, salaries or any expenses. 100% of money goes to wonderful charities!
—@realDonaldTrumpI gave millions of dollars to DJT Foundation, raised or recieved millions more, ALL of which is given to charity, and media won't report!
—@realDonaldTrumpCounterterrorism adviser named
Also Tuesday, Trump tapped an experienced national security adviser to serve as assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism.
A statement from Trump's transition team said Thomas Bossert will advise the president on issues related to homeland security, counterterrorism and cybersecurity, and will co-ordinate the cabinet's process for formulating and executing related policy.
Bossert is president of the risk management consulting firm CDS Consulting. He previously served as deputy assistant to the president for homeland security under President George W. Bush.
The statement says Bossert will focus on domestic and transnational security priorities alongside the work of Trump's pick for national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.
Trump also announced that Jason Greenblatt will become special representative for international negotiations, the transition team said in a statement. Greenblatt is the chief legal officer for the Trump Organization.
UN and the economy
Trump, who is spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, also used Twitter to express his opinion on a recent UN agreement and the U.S. economy.
Earlier Monday, Trump said the UN is just a club for people to "have a good time," after the UN Security Council voted last week to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
On Friday, Trump warned, "As to the UN, things will be different after Jan. 20th," referring to the day he takes office.
The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!
—@realDonaldTrumpThe decision by the Obama administration to abstain from Friday's UN vote brushed aside Trump's demands that the U.S. exercise its veto and provided a climax to years of icy relations with Israel's leadership.
That was only one subject Trump tackled on Twitter on Monday. In an evening post, he wrote that he believes his election as president has boosted the economy.
"The world was gloomy before I won — there was no hope," he tweeted. "Now, the market is up nearly 10 per cent and Christmas spending is over a trillion dollars."
The world was gloomy before I won - there was no hope. Now the market is up nearly 10% and Christmas spending is over a trillion dollars!
—@realDonaldTrumpMarkets are up since Trump won the general election, but not by that much. The Standard & Poor's 500 is up about six per cent since election day, while the Dow has risen more than eight per cent.
With files from Reuters