emoluments clause

noun

variants or Emoluments Clause
1
or foreign emoluments clause : a clause in Article 1, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution that prohibits federal officeholders from accepting any present, emolument, office, or title from any foreign state or its rulers or representatives
2
or domestic emoluments clause : a clause in Article 2, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution that prohibits the president from receiving any emolument from the federal government or from any state other than the compensation Section 1 provides for service as chief executive

Examples of emoluments clause in a Sentence

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Meanwhile, Free Speech For People also claims that Trump violated the emoluments clauses of the Constitution, which limits what gifts and titles federal officials can receive. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025 The lawmakers warned that this could violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution, which prohibits government officials from accepting payments or gifts from foreign entities without congressional approval. Jeff Cox,mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025 There’s also the question of whether foreign governments could buy into the coin, potentially violating the foreign emoluments clause of the Constitution. Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025 Between the lines: The emoluments clause of the Constitution, written in 1787, hardly envisaged a world where a president could conjure billions of dollars of wealth out of nowhere just by endorsing a meme. Felix Salmon, Axios, 19 Jan. 2025 Like with his hotels, spending through his social media company is also likely to raise concerns over possible violations of the emoluments clauses of the Constitution. Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 26 Nov. 2024 Trump’s first election brought about unprecedented controversy surrounding his business relationships, conflicts of interest, foreign influence, and the constitutional emoluments clause. Paula Aceves, Curbed, 31 Oct. 2024 The foreign emoluments clause of Article I, Section 9, is a further expression of the fear that other countries could seduce the president from his proper allegiance. Frank O. Bowman Iii, Foreign Affairs, 25 Nov. 2019 Lawsuits accusing Trump of violating the emoluments clauses in the Constitution during his presidency were unsuccessful. Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of emoluments clause was in 1906

Dictionary Entries Near emoluments clause

Cite this Entry

“Emoluments clause.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emoluments%20clause. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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