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Trump organization announces Scottish expansion plan, despite Trump's no new foreign deals promise
Presidential contender Donald Trump speaks to the media after arriving by helicopter during the 1st first day of the Women's British Open golf championship on the Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, Thursday, July 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)

Trump organization announces Scottish expansion plan, despite Trump's no new foreign deals promise

One of the many overseas businesses owned by President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to expand operations, despite Trump's promise just last week that his companies would not do any new foreign business deals while he is in office.

With just four days to go until Trump is officially sworn in as the nation's 45th president, the Trump Organization announced plans Monday for a new golf course at the recently opened Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland.

Trump visited the European property in July for its official grand opening, a visit that drew criticism since Trump — who was a presidential candidate at the time — did not meet with any foreign leaders during his stay. Throughout the campaign, Trump promised that, if elected, he would divest himself from his business in an honest attempt to eliminate any possible conflicts of interest.

During his first press conference in months, Trump last week announced just how he plans to separate himself from his business entities while he is in the White House. As part of that plan, Trump vowed to turn over his control of his companies to his two sons, Donald Jr.and Eric Trump. In addition, the president-elect promised his sons would make no new international business deals while their father is in office.

Trump's Scotland resort is planning to expand its operations to include a second 18-hole golf course, a 450-room five star hotel, timeshare community and luxury private housing units, according to the Guardian. Despite controversy over the massive expansion, however, the Trump Organization insists the move is not in violation of the promise Trump made just last week.

“Implementing future phasing of existing properties does not constitute a new transaction so we intend to proceed,” a spokeswoman for the Trump Organization told the Guardian.

But even those within Trump's own party are now questioning the action.

“He’s using language which is ambiguous," Richard Painter, who served as chief ethics adviser to President George W. Bush, said.

"It clearly illustrates that around the world, he will just simply expand around the various holdings and as they continue to expand, the conflicts of interest expand. It’s like Monopoly: if you have one house on Boardwalk, it’s not a new deal to go for three hotels on Boardwalk," Painter added.

The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheBlaze.

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