'Dizzying conflict of interest': Taliban reportedly owes Trump building more than $200,000

When the Taliban took over in Afghanistan in 2021, the Middle Eastern nation stopped making payments to one of Donald Trump's buildings, leading to a potential conflict of interest if the ex-president were to win another term, a watchdog reported.

Former federal corruption prosecutor Noah Bookbinder flagged the report from watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington Saturday.

"We found that Afghanistan owes Trump World Tower over $200,000, highlighting the potential national security risks and Emoluments Clause violations if Donald Trump serves in government again and fails to divest from his businesses," said Bookbinder, who serves as president of CREW.

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According to the report, "The government of Afghanistan owes Donald Trump’s Trump World Tower more than $200,000, according to a property lien filed last week with the New York City Department of Finance." It continues: "The debt relates to unpaid charges for a unit in the building across the street from the United Nations, which is popular with foreign governments."

The watchdog notes that, "Afghanistan has not paid for common charges and other fees in the building since March 2022, resulting in a debt of $219,914.75." It adds that, "They do not appear to have missed payments while Trump served as president, but started to miss payments after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan."

CREW also summarizes how the country bought the unit in Trump World Tower for $4.2 million in 2009, and explains past troubles associated with the tower and its board.

"Donald Trump owns a building and controls a condo board that is owed hundreds of thousands of dollars by a foreign government as he seeks to become president again. This represents a dizzying conflict of interest. Problematic as it is for Trump to make money from foreign governments, a debt raises the possibility Trump could use the power of the presidency to pursue collection, or seek retaliation," the report concludes. "Trump’s foreign entanglements are potential Emoluments Clause violations and national security threats if he serves in government again. Afghanistan’s large debt to Trump World Tower is case in point."

Read the report here.