The Justice Department has subpoenaed the Trump Organization for documents relating to the Saudi-backed LIV golf tour, which Donald Trump hosted twice in 2022 and will again host in 2023.
Trump welcomed the tournament to his Bedminster, New Jersey course in July 2022. The tour returned to his properties in October 2022, with a competition at his Doral, Florida course.
In 2023 the LIV tour will be played at Trump’s DC course on May 26-28. It will return to Bedminster from August 11-13, and Doral from October 20-22.
Last year’s events saw protests by relatives of the 9/11 victims, angered at Trump’s cozying up to the Saudi leadership. In a letter, the group said the decision by Trump to welcome the Saudis brought them ‘deep pain and anger’ given Saudi Arabia’s role in the 2001 attacks.
The subpoenaing of the Trump Organization was reported on Thursday by The New York Times.
It is not clear what the subpoena relates to, but the Times said it suggested investigators were looking into Trump’s family business.
LIV golf was founded in 2021, the year after Trump left the White House.
Donald Trump is pictured at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf course on July 28, 2022, as the LIV golf tournament was being held
Trump is seen on May 4 at his golf course in Doonbeg, Ireland
Trump and his wife are seen with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman (2nd L) and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in May 2017
Trump has defended his decision to host the Saudi-run tournament, which has sharply divided the golfing world.
With their almost unlimited funds, the Saudis are luring some of the best players in the world away from the PGA tour.
Those who go say the PGA has disrespected them. Those who turn down the Saudi cash, like Tiger Woods, say the PGA must be protected as the soul of the sport.
Trump said he had no problem with supporting the breakaway tour, telling the New York Times in October 2022 that Saudi officials are ‘good people with unlimited money’ and that the U.S. has ‘human rights issues here as much as anybody.’
A month later, Trump’s company agreed a deal with a Saudi real estate company that is planning a $4 billion project in Oman, including a Trump-branded hotel and golf course.
The government of Oman owns the land where the complex is expected to be built, The New York Times reported, and it is collaborating with Dar Al Arkan, the Saudi firm that signed the contract with the former president.
The Trump Organization declined to say how much they were being paid to host the tournaments.
In a statement, Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, said the organization is ‘honored to be hosting three LIV Golf events at our properties’ in 2023.
He added: ‘What LIV Golf accomplished in their first season was truly remarkable, and we are excited to raise the bar even higher together in 2023.’
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
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