President Donald Trump signed two executive actions this week professing to bring more transparency to how foreign money infiltrates American institutions — one on money to universities, another on elections. But it remains unclear whether he’ll extend the transparency effort to his own vehicle to accept foreign donations: his presidential library fund.
Unease over using foreign money for presidential libraries hit a fever pitch nearly two decades ago, when interviews revealed 10% of Bill Clinton’s presidential library funds were from overseas.
Donating to presidential libraries is one of the few options foreign individuals or companies have to donate directly to presidents since federal election law bars foreign citizens from contributing to elections or to inaugural committees. Trump’s inaugural committee refunded a few hundred thousand dollars to two companies and an individual with foreign addresses, according to campaign finance filings released this past Sunday.