Trump Organization looking to open second DC hotel: report

The Trump Organization is looking to open a second hotel in Washington, D.C., as part of a broader plan to expand nationwide, according to a new report.

The company, now run by President Trump’s two oldest sons, is considering flipping a medium-sized hotel in or near downtown Washington and reopen it under the Trump organization’s new Scion brand, The Washington Post reported.

Brian Friedman, a developer, told the Post that Trump Organization representatives have toured both his properties, the Carlyle Hotel in Dupont Circle and the Kimpton Hotel in Glover Park, and inquired about a hotel in Adams Morgan.

“They’re trying hard to do Scion in this market, and they’re trying hard in other markets also,” Friedman said.

{mosads}Friedman also told the newspaper that he’s had multiple inquiries by individuals who say they want to purchase one of his hotels and turn it into the Trump Scion brand.

“Definitely there are groups that say they are going to do a Trump Scion hotel. These are just people running around saying ‘I have money and the brand is Scion,’” Friedman told the newspaper.

The Scion hotels would be owned by other proprietors who would pay for licensing rights and management, unlike the Trump International Hotel located on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Trump International Hotel in Washington has been at the center of questions about conflicts of interest and ethics.

Some critics say that foreign agents and dignitaries who stay as hotel guests could have unfair access to the president, while others say the Trump family’s visits to the hotel serve to promote it.

Opening a more informal venue than the Trump International Hotel could allow less-wealthy groups to work with the Trump Organization under the Scion brand name, according to the Post.