JIM SCIUTTO (GUEST HOST): As president-elect Donald Trump tries to build his inner circle, he's making little to no effort to separate himself from his old circles, that is, his business ties, and the questionable lines of conflict of interest seem to be growing by the day. I want to bring in CNN's Christina Alesci. So Cristina, Trump does not seem to be just toeing the line of conflicts of interest as he defined them during the campaign himself, he seems to be setting himself up for crossing these lines wholesale as president.
CRISTINA ALESCI: Yeah, Donald Trump doesn't seem to be fretting too much over this topic, and you know, Jim, that's probably because there are very few laws that actually bar him from running his business even after he takes office. There is one exception, and it has to do with ties to foreign business people, and by extension their home countries. Now, over the last week, several incidents are now under the microscope.
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ALESCI: But conflicts of interest between Donald Trump's businesses and his presidency are already sparking talk of a constitutional crisis. The concern is over potential insider dealings, a topic he railed against on the campaign trail.
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ALESCI: This weekend, new evidence showed that Trump still clinging to international business ties. First, three Indian developers appeared in a photo at Trump Tower standing next to their business partner, the now president-elect. According to The New York Times, the executives also met with Eric and Ivanka Trump.
On Friday the Trump International Hotel in D.C. entertained a group of foreign diplomats, marking the new hotel's exclusive townhouse suite. Cost per night? $20,000. Experts say that creates an unprecedented opportunity for pay to play. Want to get on the president's good side? Some diplomats think that booking a high-end room will do the trick.
Finally, the Post reported that since the beginning of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump has launched eight companies in Saudi Arabia, possibly tied to a new hotel. That's only part of a larger international portfolio. Trump's companies do business in 18 countries, according to the Post. Ethics experts question Trump's holdings.
NORMAN EISEN: Every time that he has an engagement with a friend or a foe internationally in a place where he has an economic interest, the question arises how are his personal financial interests potentially conflicting with the national interests of the United States?
