May 14, 2025

Wyden Demands Senate Vote on Trump’s Compliance with Anti-Corruption Foreign Emoluments Clause

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) said today he is demanding Senate Republican leadership hold a vote to stop Donald Trump from accepting payments and gifts from foreign governments after Senate Republicans blocked a resolution led by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

The resolution followed Trump’s acceptance of a $400 million luxury jet from the royal family of Qatar and foreign agents potentially funneling millions directly to the Trump family through a cryptocurrency scheme.

Wyden joined seven senate colleagues in a letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), reminding him the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution states, “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” 

“President Trump has brazenly flouted the protections implemented by the Founders to avoid improper influence—his constitutional duty to seek the approval of Congress before accepting benefits from foreign governments—not only with respect to Qatar, but numerous other foreign governments,” the senators wrote.

“There is clear evidence that President Trump is directly profiting from funds received from foreign governments without the consent of Congress, in direct violation of his constitutional obligation and his oath of office,” the senators continued.  “We cannot allow the President to blithely ignore his constitutional duties nor trample on Congress’s oversight role in stemming corruption and foreign influence—if the President refuses to seek our approval for the acceptance of foreign benefits, then we must hold him accountable in court.”

In addition to Wyden and Blumenthal, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).

The full text of the letter is here.