How to Erase a CEO

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Before and AfterThe Trump organization has revamped its websites to remove images of the President-Elect and his daughter, Ivanka. The New York Times shows several "before-and-after" screenshots of his company's websites. As Trump is in the midst of detaching himself from his businesses to avoid conflicts of interest, these changes seem to be mere gestures to some legal experts.

Norman Eisen, former chief White House ethics lawyer for President Obama, said, "The problem is, like all of the Trump conflict remedies, these are half-measures and Band-Aids that tape over a gaping wound. Until Mr. Trump definitively severs his ownership with these businesses, the conflicts and the myriad of controversies and risk of scandal and corruption that flow from them are going to continue unabated."

Still, the photos show dramatic differences for several Trump Towers and Trump Hotels, Trump International Realty, Trump.com, and Trump Golf.

Discussion:

  • The Times article shows several Trump family images still on his websites. Should they all be removed? Try to argue both sides of this issue.
  • Many images were removed in just the past two days, according to the Times article. Is the timing important for the imminent inauguration, or doesn't it matter?
  • How do you think removing these images from these sites will affect the family businesses, if at all?