A new legal investigation has been added to the existing legal woes for Number 45. Federal prosecutors are examining to determine whether it accepted donations from entities hoping to gain access to his administration - including Middle Eastern nations that Trump has been cozy with, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The investigation is also probing whether the funds, once received, were misspent. Amidst other potential violations, records reveal that an inaugural planner contacted Ivanka Trump to express reservations about using the event space at Trump International Hotel, as it was "overcharging" and would present concerns were the committee to be "audited."
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders has distanced the president from his own inauguration committee, claiming that the extent of the president's involvement was "com[ing] here and rais[ing] his hand and tak[ing] the oath of office." Trump's election is also under question after the National Enquirer revealed earlier this week that it helped the campaign by identifying scandalous stories about Trump, purchasing the rights to tell them, and then declining to print them.
Other investigations into Trump's circle continue to haunt the White House. Trump attorney Michael Cohen has made public comments implicating Trump in his actions. "Of course" Trump knew it was wrong to make the hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, because Trump "was very concerned about how this would affect the election," Cohen said. Rudy Giuliani, a member of Trump's legal team, dismissed the claims against Trump, characterizing them as minor incidents: "nobody got killed, nobody got robbed...this was not a big crime," a somewhat confusing defense given that Trump has denied participation in any crimes whatsoever. Trump has also defended himself by saying that he never directed Michael Cohen to break the law. The case against Michael Flynn has also revealed cooperation between the US and Russia; again, Trump has distanced himself from the allegations, and has attempted to discredit the Mueller investigation.
The Senate has also rebuked the president, though the practical effects of the rebuke are unclear. The Senate resolution, which is unlikely to pass a vote in the House until Democrats take control next year, would end US participation in the Saudi-led war in Yemen and hold Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi earlier this year.
As the legal landscape around the president becomes ever more fraught, he faces challenges in other areas. A 7-year-old Guatemalan child died in US custody after crossing the border with Mexico. The White House has characterized this as a tragic and unavoidable risk of illegal border crossings, yet she was in US custody for more than 9 hours before experiencing symptoms, and records show that even after help was requested, it took 90 minutes for her to receive emergency medical care. Meanwhile, Trump claimed earlier this week that the savings from his NAFTA redo essentially means that Mexico is paying for the wall even if Mexico refuses to pay directly; this claim only fueled the ongoing feud between his administration and Congressional Democrats, who argue if the wall is truly paid for, then there is no need for Congress to authorize further spending.
Finally, this week Trump signed an executive order creating a council that will oversee the "Opportunity Zones" designed to revitalize struggling urban areas; though lauded by some, others believe the efforts will primarily benefit the rich.