In June, US President Donald Trump did what no other sitting US President has ever done, which is to launch their own mobile network. To be fair, Trump is, first and foremost, a businessman. With a strong fanbase and following, it’s not hard to see that Trump wants to capitalize on that. However, Democrats are now wondering how the US government will regulate Trump Mobile.
Will Trump Mobile be regulated, Democrats wonder
According to a letter shared exclusively with The Verge, six Democratic lawmakers are asking the Trump administration how it plans to regulate Trump Mobile. Smartphone carriers are a business, and like all businesses in the US, they are subject to laws and regulations. However, it does seem like there could be a conflict of interest.
Trump Mobile is related to Trump, the current US President. Wouldn’t that afford him certain leeways when it comes to regulation? These lawmakers are led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), as well as Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Greg Casar (D-TX).
They are questioning how various government agencies will avoid “undue political influence.” These agencies include the FCC, FTC, FDA, and the departments of Commerce and Treasury, and US Trade Representative’s (USTR) Office. Specifically, they want to know how these agencies would react if asked by the White House to stop investigations into Trump Mobile, if such a situation were to arise.
Going beyond Trump Mobile
In addition to worrying about government agencies potentially playing favoritism, the Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern about the effects on other companies. For example, other carriers and phone retailers could offer favorable terms to Trump Mobile. This could help them curry favor with the administration for future dealings.
And they have the right to be worried. This isn’t the first time businesses or CEOs have made “donations” that have been called into question.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai has responded to the letter in a statement. According to Desai, “All members of the Trump administration abide by conflicts of interest laws. Democrats should stop scraping the bottom of the barrel to try landing a punch on President Trump and instead think of ways to work with the Administration to deliver for the American people.”
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