Dwain Northey (Gen X)

What is an emolument?

An emolument is basically money, a gift, or a benefit that someone gets because of their job or position. In the U.S. Constitution, there are two main rules about emoluments:

Foreign Emoluments Clause: A U.S. official (like the president) isn’t allowed to accept gifts or payments from foreign governments without permission from Congress. Domestic Emoluments Clause: The president gets a fixed salary and isn’t supposed to receive any extra money or benefits from the U.S. government or individual states.

How did Donald Trump allegedly break these rules?

While Trump was president, he still owned his businesses, including hotels and golf resorts. Critics argue that:

Foreign governments spent money at Trump hotels, possibly to gain favor with him, which could be seen as a foreign emolument. State and federal officials also used his properties for events and stays, which might count as domestic emoluments. He didn’t fully separate from his businesses while in office, so any profit they made from government or foreign sources could be seen as personal benefit tied to his role as president.

Lawsuits were filed over this, but courts dismissed some of them without ruling on whether Trump actually violated the Emoluments Clauses.

In short: An emolument is a benefit you get from your job. Trump was accused of using the presidency to make money through his businesses, possibly violating rules meant to prevent corruption or conflicts of interest.