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Democrats in the U.S House and the Senate have moved to block Donald Trump’s plan to host the 2020 G7 summit at his struggling Florida golf resort. The White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney announced on Tuesday that the influential summit between the world’s economic powerhouses will take place at the Trump National Doral Miami on the urging of the U.S President. It can cost upwards of $40m at a Trump property in spite of anticipating concern over conflicts of interest regarding the selection of arranging the summit.

Mulvaney said, “The president has been very clear that he does not profit”. Moreover, Democrats in both chambers of Congress are now moving to block the plan with 3 members of the House of Representatives introducing the Trump’s Heist Undermines the G7. A companion bill is due to be introduced by Democratic senators to run alongside the legislation. The bill uses the house’s power of the purse to make sure no public funds can be put towards the hosting of the G7 at the site, except for secret service protection. It also compels the White House to provide any documents that show how the decision to host the summit at the Doral was made.

It is important that Trump handed over control of his real estate empire to his sons after being elected president. But Trump has regularly brought up and used his properties during his time in office. His Doral resort has reportedly been hemorrhaging money since the president took office. But a Miami New Times report has indicated that it is suffering steep declines in revenue from May. A representative, Lois Frankel said, “Trump is unashamed of his corruption. He is abusing the office of the presidency and violating the law. It is directing millions of dollars of American and foreign money to his family enterprises by holding an important meeting of world leaders at his Doral resort”.