US President-elect Donald Trump has said no one should worry about the potential conflicts of interest he could face over his range of global properties and blamed the media for making this a big deal after his recent meetings with business partners, including those from India.
"Prior to the election, it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world. Only the crooked media makes this a big deal!" Trump said in a late-night tweet.
Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world.Only the crooked media makes this a big deal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016
Trump, 70, was reacting to the series of stories appearing in the mainstream American media that not only questioned but also expressed concerns over his business meetings from foreign countries.
The issue gained momentum after three of his business partners from India held a meeting with him in New York and tweeted a series of pictures of it. Earlier in the day, Kellyanne Conway, chairman of the Trump Campaign, pushed back on all such reports.
"I'm very confident he is not breaking any laws. He has various lawyers, accountants and advisers who tell him what he must do and what he can," she told reporters. "He's a businessman, he's also working on transition. He's the president elect. We're in unprecedented times. We have someone who has been very successful," Conway said.
"Do you ask people how long they will play golf and do thetransition? Are you suggesting he is doing something illegal? I already said he is not. But the presumption is that he is,"an upset Conway said when asked how long he would beconducting business meetings during the transition.Â