The idea is that certain entities, corporations or governments, block massive numbers of rooms, pay for them, then do not use them, presumably to curry favor with the President.

As U.S. policy currently stands, this is perfectly legal.

  • As I have pointed out before, Trump would be considered corrupt if Mohammad bin Salman handed him a check for five billion dollars, but …
  • If Eric Trump opens up a lemonade stand, puts up a sign that says “Lemonade, Five Billion Dollars per Cup,” and bin Salman buys a cup, that is completely legal.

For now.

Granted, it is ridiculous that such a thing is legal, but that is the current ruling. Several lawsuits are currently challenging that position, and are slowly making their way through the courts.

Short answer: yes

Long answer: In some, but not all cases. It is up to the Senate.

The Constitution mandates removal from office upon conviction, but specifies that an additional penalty, being barred from any office of honor in the USA, is possible but not mandatory.

In US history, eight non-presidential office holders have been convicted in a Senate impeachment trial. In only three of those cases was the convicted party barred from holding future offices. In the other five cases, the Senate voted for removal only. In one of those instances, the impeached official went on to a long post-impeachment career in politics. Federal district judge Alcee Hastings of Florida was removed from office in 1989 for perjury and conspiring to solicit a bribe. Since 1993, he has been representing a Florida district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The Oval Office meeting this past March began, as so many had, with President Trump fuming about migrants. But this time he had a solution. As White House advisers listened astonished, he ordered them to shut down the entire 2,000-mile border with Mexico — by noon the next day.”

“Privately, the president had often talked about fortifying a border wall with a water-filled trench, stocked with snakes or alligators, prompting aides to seek a cost estimate. He wanted the wall electrified, with spikes on top that could pierce human flesh. After publicly suggesting that soldiers shoot migrants if they threw rocks, the president backed off when his staff told him that was illegal. But later in a meeting, aides recalled, he suggested that they shoot migrants in the legs to slow them down. That’s not allowed either, they told him.”

“You are making me look like an idiot!” Mr. Trump shouted, adding in a profanity.