Clinton’s ’20 Questions’ Tweet Storm Examines Trump’s ‘Sketchy’ Foreign Ties

By Jason Owen 3 min read

In response to a story highlighting the direct ties the Trump Organization – of which Donald Trump is heavily involved – has with “global financiers, foreign politicians and even criminals,” Hillary Clinton’s campaign has unloaded 20 questions her campaign says Trump needs to answer immediately.

On Wednesday, Newsweek‘s Kurt Eichenwald released “How the Trump Organization’s Foreign Business Ties Could Upend U.S. National Security,” an in-depth look at how the Trump Organization’s “sprawling business empire” with a “web of contractual entanglements that could not be just canceled” could “raise serious conflicts of interest and ethical quagmires” if Trump is elected president. The magazine acknowledges no illegal activity had been uncovered, but says the deep ties the organization has with foreign powers – allies like South Korea and enemies like Muammar el-Qaddafi – could “jeopardize the security of the United States.”

In response to the article, Clinton released “20 questions Donald Trump needs to answer about his business – and the national security risk it poses,” inquiries into controversial ties the Trump Organization – and by extension Trump himself – has with foreign entities. Clinton’s campaign has repeatedly attacked Trump for failing to disclose his tax returns, questioning what the presidential hopeful is hiding and that, if he’s got nothing to hide, why not release his returns. The Trump Organization is as secretive or more-so than Trump about its financial dealings.

In light of @kurteichenwald's report on the Trump Organization's dangerous ties, here are 20 questions that Trump needs to answer—now.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

Clinton’s own foundation has not escaped scrutiny but has been more transparent about her dealings with the Clinton Foundation during her time as Secretary of State. From the AP:

“The meetings between the Democratic presidential nominee and foundation donors do not appear to violate legal agreements Clinton and former president Bill Clinton signed before she joined the State Department in 2009. But the frequency of the overlaps shows the intermingling of access and donations, and fuels perceptions that giving the foundation money was a price of admission for face time with Clinton.”

While the foundation is under more intense scrutiny, numerous watchdog groups say the Clinton Foundation has and still does exceptional work all across the globe.

Charity Navigator gave the Clinton Foundation “four stars and a score of 94.74 out of 100 along with a 93.00 out of 100 for accountability and transparency in a 2016 review. The foundation lost points for its donor privacy policy.” Group Charity Watch estimates that 88 percent of the money raised by the Clinton Foundation goes to programs while just 12 percent is spent on overhead, a number far higher than other charities, according to reports.

Those numbers are readily available because the Clinton Foundation has released all its tax filings and disclosed its financial dealings.

According to Newsweek, the Trump Organization has provided no transparency into its numerous global contracts.

“On the other hand, the Trump family rakes in untold millions of dollars from the Trump Organization every year. Much of that comes from deals with international financiers and developers, many of whom have been tied to controversial and even illegal activities. None of Trump’s overseas contractual business relationships examined by Newsweek were revealed in his campaign’s financial filings with the Federal Election Commission, nor was the amount paid to him by his foreign partners. (The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for the names of all foreign entities in partnership or contractually tied to the Trump Organization.) Trump’s financial filings also indicate he is a shareholder or beneficiary of several overseas entities, including Excel Venture LLC in the French West Indies and Caribusiness Investments SRL, based in the Dominican Republic, one of the world’s tax havens.”

Clinton’s campaign is ramping up the pressure on Trump to disclose his financial records, asking the real estate mogul, “What do you have to hide?” See Clinton’s questions below.

1. Will you sever ties with your company linked to foreign leaders, questionable organizations, and criminals if you become president?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

2. How will you handle non-cancelable contractual obligations with parties whose interests conflict with those of the United States?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

3. While refusing to release your tax returns, how will you confirm that you do not have dangerous financial ties to bad actors abroad?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

4. If you were willing to work with Qaddafi—a known terrorist and dictator—is there anyone you aren't willing to make a deal with? Who?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

5. How can you be tough on Iran, given your business partnership with someone connected to Iranian money laundering? pic.twitter.com/1AdDm2kfvy

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

6. Given that you've already questioned our commitments to NATO allies, what is your answer to this? pic.twitter.com/qp5vMqtcs1

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

7. To what extent would your foreign policy be dictated by potential financial benefits for your business partners? pic.twitter.com/4Nd9KSdTfi

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

8. Will you disclose the nature of your personal and business relationships with all of the Russian oligarchs you are “close” to?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

9. Have you or your campaign discussed U.S.-Russian relations with the Russian billionaires with whom you've done business?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

10. How did the Russian mob boss who ran a criminal organization out of Trump Tower get a VIP pass to your Miss Universe pageant in Moscow?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

11. With business ties to politically-connected Indian developers, how can you conduct foreign policy that puts the U.S. above your profits?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

12. How can we be sure you'd be willing to be tough on any nation if necessary, if it would put your interests and profits at risk?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

13. How can we know you won't (again) impulsively damage relationships with crucial allies to preserve your own ego? https://t.co/j1VtaFhA6C

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

14. We know you engaged extensively in pay-to-play here at home. Have you bribed foreign officials or other parties abroad?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

15. To what extent are you and your family currently contractually tied to payments from foreign business partners, or governments?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

16. You've mentioned ~120 foreign deals, including in countries with national security implications. Where and with whom are you working?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

17. Will your children disclose all of the foreign trips and business deals they've undertaken during the campaign, and with whom they met?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

18. We'll let @kurteichenwald ask this one: pic.twitter.com/xnIl6JazS3

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

19. In sum, how will Trump guarantee that if forced to choose between America's security and his own bank account, he won't pick the latter?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016

20. It's pretty clear: Trump's spent his life unscrupulously looking out for his own wallet above all. Why would that change as president?

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2016