BEFORE DONALD TRUMP became president, when he was just a famous real estate developer, he made a risky bet: He proposed spending $200 million renovating the historic Old Post Office building on Pennsylvania Avenue, transforming a dilapidated property known for a low-rent food court into a luxury hotel. The bet would pay off only if guests were willing to pay sky-high rates and the hotel saw brisk spa and events business.
If the president’s financial disclosure forms are any indication, the gamble worked for Mr. Trump — but at the price of the country’s dignity.
Mr. Trump on Thursday released his latest required financial disclosure forms. They show that the Trump International Hotel produced $41 million in revenue, which, according to CNN, brings to more than $80 million the total amount he has made from the property during his presidency. The hotel accounted for almost a tenth of his company’s revenue last year.
