Donald Trump says his first priority will be running the government and not his sprawling business empire when he becomes president, but a new poll suggests voters are worried about potential conflicts.
Some 60 percent of likely U.S. voters said they are at least “somewhat” concerned that Trump’s business interests will influence his decisions during his presidency, a Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey found. That included 44 percent who described themselves as “very concerned.”
Another 38 percent don’t share the concern, with 16 percent who describe themselves as “not at all concerned.”
The survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted Nov. 27 and Rasmussen said Democrats were far more concerned than other voters with Trump’s business ties.
Trump said Wednesday he’ll step away “in total” from his businesses and apparently let his three eldest children run them. But ethics experts warn that virtually all of Trump’s financial options, but for the complete divestiture of his and his family members’ vast real estate holdings, pose the possibility for conflicts.
Trump, who has said “the only thing that matters to me is running our country,” has planned a Dec. 15 press conference to outline his plans.