Grand Theft America / Receipt money-2026-06-30-085
Korean firm in US trade probe paid Trump business $2M
Base Group, parent of an aluminum maker fighting US tariff-circumvention penalties, paid Trump's holding company a $2M development fee for a planned Korean golf project.
What happened
Trump's 2026 financial disclosure reported a $2M 'nonrefundable development fee' from South Korea's Base Group tied to a letter of intent for an unannounced golf course. Base Group's subsidiary, Korea Aluminium, is fighting Commerce Department penalties over allegations it routed Chinese-made aluminum through South Korea to evade US tariffs. Both companies say the payment relates only to the golf project, and reporting found no evidence the Trumps intervened on Base Group's behalf.
Why it matters
A South Korean conglomerate whose subsidiary was fighting US trade penalties paid Trump's family business $2M as a golf-project development fee; a payment from a foreign firm with a live matter before the Commerce Department flowing to the president's company raises the appearance of an indirect pay-to-play channel, though reporting found no proof of intervention.
Receipt details
- Sell the office
- Realized income
- $2M
