Trump International Golf Club Dubai
Why am I the only one talking about this? I haven’t seen a single pundit mention this:
Every property with “Trump” on it is now a target. Just one bomb blows up up one Trump property and Trump’s uninsurable. If Trump’s uninsurable, the value of his properties collapses. How? Trump will have to sell. Which makes him prey. What once was a $100M building becomes a $25M building because he has to sell it – fast. In fact, he has to sell all of them fast. And everyone will know it: Trump will know he can’t afford to have a second hotel full of employees/guests blown up, and the buyer will know Trump can’t afford to have another hotel of employees/guest blown up. It becomes an instant fire sale. And a literal one.
Trump’s kids will be mere pauper millionaires.
Think about it: You’re a terrorist. You and your merry band of jihadis know the Leader of the Free World owns the hotel within driving distance of the sh*thole you live in. You surround the place and make a call: “Release the Blind Sheik (or whatever) or we blow up 1,000 people and turn your gold-plated marble tower into rubble.”
Even the threat of it is enough. Even if our guys save the day and the bomb doesn’t go off that would do it. Fire sale ON.
Quite apart from the financial calamity for the Trump children, suddenly pauper millionaires, there’s the human calamity. How many thousands of people are kidnapping targets now? How many front desk clerks, maids, golf pros, hotel managers? Every single one of these people is now a target because their “boss” is the President.
I’m frankly stunned Trump’s insurers haven’t given him a little ring-a-dingy and said “Hey, uh, Mr. President-elect… About your policy… We’re thinking we may have to raise your premiums… A LOT.”
Maybe this phone call did happen and that’s why Trump’s press conference regarding the future of his company which was scheduled today was postponed indefinitely.
There’s every reason in the world for him to 100% divest, not the least of which is the ethical one, but really, the fiscal one is what would – and should – send a thrill up his leg: it’s 100% tax free! That’s right! There’s a law that says if you have to divest because you’re an elected official you don’t have to pay any taxes on the sale. Let’s say he would normally pay 39% on the sale. Does he expect the value of his holdings to increase more than 40% over the next 4-8 years? Hard to see how if he’s not going to make “any new deals” (which is what he tweet-promised yesterday).
SELL Mr. Trump. SELL. NOW. You’ll get a +40% return. And very likely save some lives. Sometimes doing the right thing can be profitable. This one of those times. Don’t throw it away with both hands.