Ilhan Omar just pointed out one really f**ked up detail about Trump’s war on Iran

Ilhan Omar and Donald Trump


Support us and go ad-free

Donald Trump effectively started a war with Iran on 3 January by assassinating one of the country’s top generals. As would be the case with virtually any other regional power, Iran has vowed to respond.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar took to Twitter on 6 January and pointed out one sobering, maddening, and obscene detail about what could now follow.

Business interests

Trump has a few presidential quirks that differ from his predecessors. One of them – the fact he refused to divest from his businesses when taking office – is the subject of Omar’s tweet:

The congresswoman asserts that, in response to the murder of its general Qasem Soleimani, Iran could “threaten” Trump’s businesses around the world. She names hotels in particular, but Trump has held onto much more than that. Hotels, condos and golf resorts all make up the Trump portfolio. As the Guardian reported in July 2019, revenues from the president’s real estate businesses stood at over $886m during the first two years of his presidency.

The reason incoming presidents usually divest their assets, or put them into a blind trust, is to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Trump is mired in accusations of conflicts due to retaining his assets in office. But, as Omar suggests, that’s not the only problem with him choosing not to divest. What he might do if those assets are indeed targeted is another.

Call for calm

Since Soleimani’s assassination, numerous world leaders and officials have called for calm and restraint:

But as the general’s murder itself showed, restraint isn’t something Trump exercises often. This is the guy who threatens nuclear war on Twitter.

One can only imagine how he’d respond if his personal bottom line was under threat. Could a full-scale war break out over a hotel or a golf course? Most of the western wars against the Middle East over the last few decades have been about oil (Iran recently found a new oil field containing 50bn barrels of the environment-destroying stuff), but a hotel?

Let’s hope not. But the fact that’s even a remote possibility under Trump’s presidency speaks volumes about how unfit he is for leadership.

Featured image via YouTube – Yahoo / YouTube – Guardian News

Support us and go ad-free

Do your bit for independent journalism

Did you know that less than 1.5% of our readers contribute financially to The Canary? Imagine what we could do if just a few more people joined our movement to achieve a shared vision of a free and fair society where we nurture people and planet.

We need you to help out, if you can.

When you give a monthly amount to fund our work, you are supporting truly independent journalism. We hold power to account and have weathered many attempts to shut us down and silence the counterpoint to the mainstream.

You can count on us for rigorous journalism and fearless opposition to an increasingly fascist government and right wing mainstream media.

In return you get:

  • Advert free reading experience
  • Behind the scenes monthly e-newsletter
  • 20% discount from our shop

 

The Canary Fund us

Related articles