Emptywheel: On Trump's big lightly defended properties around the world

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Link to tweet

?s=19

[mopinko]

1. oh please let them torch one of his properties. trump baku?

the revolutionary guard laundered a lot of money through that project.
that's the one that looks like a big vagina.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

2. Surely surely he wouldn't sacrifice one of his own

properties. Like he has heard they might be targets, and thought it was worth it? To l
gain some sympathy votes? Surely he's not that degenerate? But, from Iranian perspective, would be a good target...not like really retaliating on US but close enough.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. Trump Baku

[gab13by13]

18. Funny you bring up Baku,

That's the tower where money was laundered for the Republican National Guard of Iran. I believe no one ever moved into the tower, there isn't even a decent access road to it.

[calimary]

20. It's hard to look at. Rather obscene.

trump probably loved the design. Probably considered it a self-portrait.

ICK!!!

[central scrutinizer]

30. Kind of mushroom shaped - you're right!

[hatrack]

35. Way, way too tall, though . . .

[tinrobot]

5. He'd claim it was worth double, then collect insurance

He'd also act like a martyr and demand sympathy for his loss.

Win/win in his mind.

[getagrip_already]

9. He'd dispatch the corp of engineers to rebuild them!

Put hundreds of troops in them to defend them, and charge triple the going rate for each room and meal.

They would be more fortified than an embassy. And we would pay the full bill.

If we aren't already.

[mopinko]

10. i dont think ins covers acts of war.

sure shouldnt cover your losses when you started the war.

[Captain Zero]

14. Property Insurance often excludes "acts of war"

And civil disturbances. Just sayin'.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. Most property insurance policies have exclusions for acts of war.

But he'd probably be glad to get that white elephant off the books anyhow (assuming he even owns it instead of just licensing the name).

[AZ8theist]

15. I'd suggest Mara Lago first...

[scarytomcat]

37. sounds good

[HissyFit]

4. Yes, Laura,

He surely is that degenerate.

Interesting angle...I had not considered it. He's probably got all his properties insured for at least double their values, but...isn't there an exception...something about claims having to do with "acts of war?"

Yes, he might take a significant financial hit, but it's all the poor folks who staff his properties who will pay the ultimate price....

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. Ha...how could we find out if he has "war risk" insurance

War risk insurance may cover perils such as kidnappings and ransom, sabotage, emergency evacuation, worker injury, long-term disability, and loss or damage of property and cargo. Also, some policies may cover event cancellations due to war.

[onethatcares]

17. its all in his

tax returns

[hughee99]

31. Really? I didn't have to specify what kind of property insurance coverage

Last edited Sat Jan 4, 2020, 02:20 PM - Edit history (1)

I had on my tax returns. Is that a new thing?

[machoneman]

6. All the Iranian leaders need to do is threaten any and all who inhabit Trump properties.

They will vacate pronto.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. You are right...would not be a great financial strategy

[getagrip_already]

11. wouldn't hurt him......

He doesn't own most properties with his name on them. It's just a marketing arrangement. And if he does own some, he would seize the units for non-payment of management fees, which would go up for "security" reasons, which the us is paying for anyway.

Then he would use the units for money laundering ops.

Wouldn't hurt him at all. His business model doesn't care if anyone lives in his buildings.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. What he owns as of 2018

https://www.bustle.com/p/how-many-hotels-does-trump-own-the-number-is-not-what-youd-think-90

How Many Hotels Does Trump Own? The Number Is Not What You’d Think
By JESSICAH LAHITOU
May 10, 2018

The Trump Organization lists just 11 hotel properties on its website. The flagship property is in Trump's hometown — The Trump International Hotel and Tower New York. The other U.S. hotels are located in Chicago, Miami, Waikiki, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, and the Albemarle Estate at Trump Winery in Virginia. Internationally, the Trump Organization owns two hotels in Scotland, one in Ireland, and the most recently built, Trump International Hotel and Tower Vancouver.

[empedocles]

27. "Owns" ?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

33. Yes? As opposed to just selling his name to put on it ?

[empedocles]

36. Or buildings with loans in default, or 'wink' loans, etc.

[scarytomcat]

38. DC is a lease

He has property in Turkey and some other oil country I think. He wants Moscow and Saudi Arabia too.

[genxlib]

16. I was just about to say this

He might lose some payments on his licensing but has no real skin in the game on those properties.

What he gains in outrage would more than make up for that hiccup.

I would certainly not want to be living in one of those buildings now ( or anytime for that matter)

[getagrip_already]

19. many are very underwater and can't get out.....

The market value for those properties has tanked. People can't get what they (over)paid for them.

They are stuck for now, no matter how dis tasteful they find it. Some building boards have opted to remove his name from the buildings. At least that minimizes the toxin, but he still gets paid until the contracts expire.

[genxlib]

23. Of course you are correct

But my sympathies are limited.

Even before he became a toxic politician, he was clearly a con-artist huckster. Anyone who bought into that (quite literally) should have known better.

[Eyeball_Kid]

28. Money laundering works if it's hidden.

Hotels and apartments would be emptied, and the money laundering would be too easy to detect.

Besides, Trumpy's wealth is sustained through branding that's already taken a huge hit. That properties associated with his name would be the target of attacks would further erode the upside of his brand.

[uponit7771]

12. GREAT MINDS !!!

[marble falls]

21. He's going to regret this crap.

[ancianita]

22. PLEASE let him take a whole lot of HITS.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

25. And no soul gets hurt

[Cosmocat]

29. Why would they not do a coordinated attack on a multiple 45 properties?

soft targets, and hit what he truly cares about.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

34. I can honestly see the dilemma they are in. If they kill a bunch of people

everyone in the world will know it's them. Non-violent retaliation of some sort?

[uponit7771]

32. Iran attack on Trump properties would expose a lot