Donald Trump's children are -- or, were -- literally auctioning off access to the highest bidder.
Eric Trump set up an online fundraiser for his charitable foundation by auctioning off a coffee meeting with his sister, Ivanka Trump, and the bidding exceeded $72,000 before he abruptly ended the fundraiser with four days to go, reported the New York Times.
The president-elect has raised concerns about unconstitutional conflicts of interest by handing over his real estate business to his three oldest children and then allowing them to sit in on meetings with his transition team.
The involvement of Trump's children and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, may also violate anti-nepotism laws.
At least some of the bidders hoped to discuss government business with the executive vice president of The Trump Organization and president/CEO of the Ivanka Trump Brand.
A London-based investment manager said he bid nearly $60,000 to enjoy coffee with Ivanka Trump to learn more about her father's possible future dealings with Turkey, which were the subject of a bombshell explosive Newsweek report this week, and other nations where he invests.
“The nature of my business, we talk to a lot of different governments, a lot of politicians and lawmakers across the world,” said Ozan Ozkural, the investment manager. “You end up getting a better sense of what the modus operandi will be.”
The newspaper reported that other bidders include the owner of a Houston-based restaurant chain who wants to ask about immigration policy and a real estate executive and fringe presidential candidate from Florida who wants to discuss claims of election fraud.
Eric Trump told a reporter Thursday, about an hour after the newspaper raised questions about the auction, that he might shut down the bidding before it was scheduled to end.
The fundraiser was deleted late Friday morning.
