Full-page advertisements in Indian newspapers on Monday invited prospective investors to buy into the Trump Organization’s project in Gurugram to join Donald Trump Jr, the eldest son of United States President Donald Trump, at a dinner later this week.
“Trump has arrived. Have you?” read the advertisement, inviting buyers to book their apartments in Trump Towers by Wednesday “for a conversation and dinner” with Trump Jr on Friday. An advertisement in newspapers on Sunday read, “Trump is here. Are you invited?”
Trump Jr will arrive in Delhi on Monday for a week-long visit to promote the luxury properties under development in India – the Trump Organization’s largest international market. The projects coming up in Mumbai, Pune, Gurugram and Kolkata are expected to be completed by 2023.
The advertisement promises prospective buyers a “renowned industrialist”, “famous Indian cricketer” and an “art maestro” as neighbours. It is unclear whether these unidentified personalities are among the 75 who have booked their flats already.
The full-page commercials also attracted a lot of criticism. British writer and historian Patrick French called it an “abominable invitation to dinner with Trump Jr”.
Daniel S Markey, who helped coordinate the US State Department’s South Asia policy during the George W Bush administration, said: “The idea that the president’s son would be going and shilling the president’s brand at the same time Donald Trump is president and is managing strategic and foreign relations with India – that is just bizarre.”
The White House refused to comment on whether Trump Jr’s trip would present a conflict of interest, according to The New York Times.
So far, 75 people have booked flats at the Trump Tower in Gurugram, and the number of investors is expected to rise to 100 by Wednesday, an employee of Indian developer Tribeca told AFP. “The meeting is a token of gratitude to the clients for showing tremendous faith in the upcoming project,” the staff member said.
Trump Jr will speak at the Global Business Summit next week. Last week, he had emphasised that his trip will not involve politics, and that he does not have any meetings scheduled with government officials during his visit , The Telegraph reported.
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