The President

Trump Handing Business To His Kids Won't Resolve Conflicts Of Interest

Donald Trump says he's separating himself from his businesses by putting his kids in charge. But that won't solve the conflicts of interest.

Trump Handing Business To His Kids Won't Resolve Conflicts Of Interest
Getty Images / Joe Raedle
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Donald Trump's sprawling international business creates countless conflicts of interest, which could lead to corruption.

And handing his business over to his kids wouldn't solve that. Here's why.

SEE MORE: Trump's Business Could Make His Presidency An Ethical Minefield

For one, this is not a blind trust — like, at all. In a blind trust, one person hands off their business to someone else and doesn't communicate with them. That's unlikely to happen.

What's more, Trump appointed his three oldest kids to his transition team. 

And his daughter Ivanka Trump has been in a meeting with Japan's prime minister and a call with Argentina's president. She also met with Indian businessmen who spoke to Donald Trump about expanding deals with his ventures.

Plus, in a true blind trust, Trump would sell off his company assets, just as previous presidents have. But Trump plans to hold on to his, meaning he'll profit from any business gains during his presidency. 

And previous presidents have set another standard Trump hasn't followed: releasing tax returns. That means we don't know the full scope of the potential conflicts of interest surrounding Trump — or his kids.