Donald Trump’s transition team is considering the use of discretionary trusts for his term to avoid conflicts of interest with his businesses. Most of our former presidents have used blind trusts so that their decisions do not influence their personal assets. The discretionary trust option might allow Trump and his family to reap some blind trust benefits while giving insight to how his businesses are faring and allowing him to make money off those investments. Some critics have quibbled with the idea of a “half-blind” discretionary trust because it would allow Trump to sidestep the conflict of interest rules. Trump is set to address his business arrangements at the start of the new year.
See Trump Weighs “Half-Blind” Trust Option for Businesses, Private Wealth, December 22, 2016.
Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.
