‘He still considers himself to be in the hospitality business’: Mulvaney explains Trump’s Doral decision – USA TODAY

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday that President Donald Trump was “honestly surprised at the level of pushback” on plans to host next year’s G-7 summit at his Doral resort in Miami. 

Democrats and some Republicans, as well as government watchdogs, decried the administration’s decision to award the event to one of the president’s properties. Critics rejected Mulvaney’s claim that Doral had been selected as the “perfect” location after an exhaustive search. Many, including former White House officials, said it had the appearance of impropriety and others said it was a violation of the Constitution. 

Trump backed down in the wake of the criticism and declared the event would not be held at his resort “based on both Media & Democrat Crazed and Irrational Hostility.” 

‘There’s a perception of impropriety’:Former White House officials say Doral G-7 breaks precedent

Opinion:G-7 at Trump’s Doral resort? The original sin of this presidency is failure to divest.