Trump Firm Took $2 Million From South Korean Investor Fighting U.S. Trade Penalties

In reporting published July 14, 2026, The New York Times said President Trump's holding company received a $2 million payment last year from Base Group, the South Korean parent of an aluminum business challenging U.S. Commerce Department penalties. The payment, disclosed in Trump's annual financial disclosure released in late June, was described as a "non-refundable development fee" tied to a letter of intent for a planned golf course in South Korea. The Times reported the sum was part of at least $125 million Trump's company received from foreign sources last year, and that Base Group has longstanding ties to the family, including importing Trump-branded wine and hosting Eric Trump in Seoul.

The reporting highlights a conflict-of-interest concern that recurs across the administration: a company with business before federal regulators making payments to the president's private enterprises. Base Group affiliate Korea Aluminium is contesting Commerce Department actions targeting certain South Korean aluminum exports, matters the executive branch oversees. Legal experts quoted by the Times said the relationship raised such concerns even absent evidence of direct intervention.

The Trump Organization and Base Group said the payment related solely to the golf project and was unrelated to the trade case, and a White House spokesperson said there were "no conflicts of interest." The Times said it found no evidence that Trump or his family intervened with U.S. officials on behalf of the companies, and administration officials said trade proceedings are conducted independently.