Most people see potential conflicts of interest in Donald Trump’s plan to give control of his business to his adult children while he’s the president, a new CNN/ORC poll found.
Fifty-nine percent think Trump’s arrangement doesn’t go far enough, while 39 percent thought it did, according to the survey released Tuesday. He has said that Eric, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, his adult children, will run his business.
Trump’s business dealings, though, have raised several questions.
McClatchy’s Kevin G. Hall reported Monday that a review by McClatchy of Trump’s most recent financial disclosure statement found that of the 564 companies for which he reported holding executive positions, at least 120 were tied to his business dealings abroad.
Hall found that Trump’s global businesses include hotels, golf courses, condominiums and merchandise that bear his name, spread across Asia, Latin America, North America, the Middle East, Europe and the Caribbean.
Virtually every subgroup of people sees Trump’s plan for his children as not going far enough. Men see him not going far enough by 55-43 percent. Women see things that way by 62-35 percent. Eighteen- to 34 year-olds want him to change his plan by 2 to 1.
About the only group that is OK with it is Republicans, who approve by about 3 to 1.
The mood is unusual for the poll, which shows America continuing to be divided over Trump and his potential as president. Forty-eight percent said that since Election Day, they were more confident in him as president, while 43 percent said they were not.
Forty-three percent said Trump would change the country for the better, 21 percent said it would be worse and 32 percent had no opinion.
David Lightman: 202-383-6101, @lightmandavid