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Trump Hotel at Night: Lobbyists, Cabinet Members, $60 Steaks - The New York Times

posted onAugust 26, 2017
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Article snippet: WASHINGTON — It was nearing midnight at the Trump International Hotel, and the president’s son was eating macaroni and cheese. Enveloped in the smooth tones of jazzy hotel music, soft light from a million tiny chandelier crystals and the scent of candied bacon, Eric Trump, fresh from a rally this month in West Virginia, declined a question from a reporter and instead posed one of his own. “Is everything perfect?” he asked, much like an attentive concierge. From the Trump family’s point of view, how could it not be? In this first tumultuous summer of the Trump administration, the hotel has cemented its status as a gathering spot for prominent conservatives and a place for the president’s supporters to see, be seen and curry favor with people in power, one $24 chocolate cigar at a time. (The selfies are free.) The hotel — a melting pot for Trump family members, Trump surrogates, tourists, YouTube celebrities, journalists and the occasional white nationalist — has earned that status in no small part because it is home to the only Washington restaurant that President Trump visits. His company also earns a cut — about $20 million over 15 months, according to financial disclosure forms — which has outraged ethics experts and led to various lawsuits, including one filed in January against the Trump administration by a group of lawyers. They accused the president of violating the Constitution by allowing his hotels and other businesses to accept payments from foreign gov... Link to the full article to read more

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