CREW requested records from the U.S. Coast Guard concerning the sale of Trump-branded alcoholic beverages at Coast Guard Exchanges, a network of retail stores providing tax-free goods and services to authorized military and DHS personnel and their families. In addition, CREW is requesting all communications between the Coast Guard and Trump family businesses involved in the production and distribution of these products. 

According to recent reporting, Coast Guard Exchanges at the Coast Guard’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. and in Centreville, Virginia recently stocked and sold Trump-branded wine and cider for sale to federal employees. President Trump’s income from sales of Trump Wine and Cider at Coast Guard Exchanges may violate the Constitution’s Domestic Emoluments Clause, which prevents the president from receiving profits, gains or advantages from the federal government outside of his government salary and benefits. The framers of the Constitution drafted this clause out of concern that a president’s judgement may be compromised by the prospect of personal financial gain. That concern has remained at the forefront of Trump’s second term especially given his repeated violations of the Foreign and Domestic Emoluments Clause.

Given Trump’s repeated profiting off of the presidency, CREW’s requested records will help the public understand to what extent Trump’s businesses have benefitted from the sale of Trump-branded beverages at the Coast Guard Exchanges.

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