Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that President Donald Trump, his Special Envoy Steven Witkoff, and all Federal officials must comply with the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution by immediately turning over to the Department of the Treasury any payments received from the United Arab Emirates or any other foreign state and divest from all business interests linked to foreign governments.
- Bill Number
- H.Res. 1186
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-16: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T08:05:50Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This House Resolution (H. Res. 1186) expresses the non-binding "sense of the House of Representatives" that President Donald Trump, Special Envoy Steven Witkoff, and all federal officials must follow the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Foreign Emoluments Clause (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8) bans federal officeholders from accepting gifts, payments, jobs, or titles from foreign governments without Congress's approval, to prevent foreign influence.
Key Provisions
- Demands that President Trump, Special Envoy Witkoff, and federal officials immediately turn over to the Department of the Treasury any payments received directly or indirectly from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), its leaders, royal family members (e.g., Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan), or any other foreign state.
- Requires divestment (selling off) from all business interests tied to foreign governments, including UAE-linked entities like MGX Fund Management Limited or investments involving Sheikh Tahnoon.
- Cites specific allegations: A $500 million deal involving World Liberty Financial (a cryptocurrency platform co-founded by Trump and Witkoff families), funded partly by UAE interests, with payments continuing into Trump's term; family entities received $187 million (Trump) and $31 million (Witkoff); linked to U.S. approvals for UAE access to advanced U.S. semiconductor chips for AI.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- None. This is a resolution stating the House's opinion, not a law. It does not amend statutes, create penalties, or enforce actions—resolutions like this are symbolic and non-binding.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Could pressure the Treasury Department to handle alleged payments; may prompt Oversight Committee reviews or investigations into executive actions on semiconductors/AI exports.
- Citizens: Highlights risks of foreign influence on U.S. policy, potentially affecting national security (e.g., tech exports to UAE amid China concerns).
- International relations: May strain U.S.-UAE ties, given accusations of UAE using business deals to gain favors like chip access; signals congressional scrutiny of Trump's foreign business dealings.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- President Trump and family (Donald, Eric, Donald Jr., Barron): Accused of receiving emoluments via World Liberty Financial.
- Steven Witkoff and family: As Special Envoy and co-founder, implicated in deals and payments.
- UAE government/officials: Sheikh Tahnoon (UAE National Security Advisor, MGX Fund leader) and royal family, portrayed as providing forbidden payments.
- Federal officials: Broadly urged to divest foreign-linked businesses.
- U.S. Congress: Sponsors (e.g., Rep. Raskin and 25+ Democrats) vs. Trump administration.
- Tech/export sectors: Firms involved in AI/semiconductors, facing policy shifts.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Constitutional: Reinforces Foreign Emoluments Clause enforcement, arguing Trump's businesses create "undivided fiduciary allegiance" conflicts; claims no congressional consent was sought, echoing historical warnings (e.g., George Washington's Farewell Address).
- Legal: Alleges violations via indirect payments ("emoluments") post-inauguration (Jan. 20, 2025); infers quid pro quo with UAE chip approvals, but lacks enforcement mechanism.
- Political: Partisan (Democrat-led), targets Trump's second term; amplifies conflict-of-interest debates, national security risks (AI/tech to UAE/China), and calls for divestment without prior Trump compliance. Referred to Oversight Committee for potential hearings.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (39)
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2], Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6], Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-16: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- 2026-04-16: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that President Donald Trump, his Special Envoy Steven Witkoff, and all Federal officials must comply with the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution by immediately turning over to the Department of the Treasury any payments received from the United Arab Emirates or any other foreign state and divest from all business interests linked to foreign governments. — issued 2026-04-16 — PDF (6 pages)