What else did Donald Trump do this week?
He tweeted out a recommendation that Nigel Farage, former Brexit advocate and a campaign surrogate for Trump himself, be appointed the UK ambassador to the US. Farage is a political enemy of Theresa May, the current British Prime Minister.
British diplomats are not chosen for political reasons. The current ambassador, Kim Darroch, was not expected to leave his post. Ambassadors are supposed to represent their own countries' interests, not those of the leader of the countries they're appointed to.
Trump also admitted, through an IRS report from his foundation, that it had engaged in numerous acts of illegal "self-dealing," or using the charity's funds to personally profit Trump and his family. In one instance, it accepted as a "donation" $150,000 that Donald Trump was owed by an influential Ukrainian steel baron as a speaking fee for a 20-minute speech. This would have allowed Trump to illegally evade paying taxes on that income. It also suggests that Trump's influence can be bought through donations to his foundation, something he accused Hillary Clinton of during the campaign.
So what?
- Things that needlessly upset the governments of important allies are bad.
- Some jobs are too important to give as gifts to your friends.
- It's wrong to illegally evade taxes through your charity.
- If something is corrupt when your political opponent does it, then it's corrupt when you do it.