Current Events –
Trump Brand Faces
High Risk Of Terrorism

The US Secret Service does an amazing job at protecting the Trump family — but, what about the Trump brand?

Current Events
Donald Trump is the first “White House resident” to own several multi-million dollar businesses around the world. Unfortunately for him, there is nothing the USSS can do to guard the Trump brand everywhere.

Security experts are beginning to warn that the global Trump brand of businesses face an increased risk now that he is in the White House. Or, to put it bluntly, criminal gangs, terrorists, and/or militants who are unable to get directly at Donald Trump himself, could instead choose to target a building bearing his name, abduct workers associated with his enterprises for ransom, or possibly worse.

“They may kidnap a Trump worker and not even want to negotiate,” aiming for publicity instead, said Colin P. Clarke, a political scientist with the RAND Corporation who studies terrorism and international criminal networks.

The day Donald Trump moved into The White House, the USSS knew they had their hands full. However, it’s the local police departments, global intelligence agencies and security specialists from around the world who are most at risk and on constant high alert.  If a terrorist group were to target a hotel or golf resort within the Trump brand, particularly when Donald Trump and members of his family were thousands of miles away, the responsibilities of handling such an attack would fall into the lap of local authorities. Many are simply not equipped to handle such matters related to a sitting US president.

Although US brands have been targeted in overseas violence before, they’ve never belonged to a US president before, which makes a huge difference given Trump’s international business interests.  While Trump has, at least publicly, made an attempt to divest himself from his companies while in office, the name “Trump” remains boldly emblazoned across every single business entity. Needless to say, this places a definitive bullseye on every business within the Trump brand.

Current Events
When asked about its new set of security issues, the Trump Organization said in a statement it has “extensive protocols in place at our Trump-owned and -managed properties” in the United States and abroad.

“Our team continues to work very closely with local law enforcement,” the statement said. “We are also working in tandem with the local developers at Trump-branded properties worldwide to ensure that all residents, guests, and associates remain safe and secure.”

Regrettably, those words have done nothing to ease the concerns of Trump businesses in areas prone to violence.

Employees at Trump Towers Istanbul, the Turkish city hit hard by a series of bomb and gun attacks carried out by the Islamic State, are understandably fearful that they may be sitting ducks due to the flags and banners around the property bearing the Trump name. That same fear exists in Bali, where bombs planted by an Islamic extremist group killed more than 200 people in the early 2000’s and is where the Trump name is slated to be affixed to a planned luxury resort. The same goes for a Trump-named residential tower in Mumbai, another tower being built in Manila, as well as a soon-to-open golf course in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Historically, first families have only required protection for locations they were currently in. However, since Donald Trump has spent decades making sure his name was prominently displayed on hundreds of businesses and buildings worldwide, the Trump brand has now become the target of choice for anyone wishing to exact vengeance against “The Donald.”

OK WASSUP! covers current events:
The Trump brand and terrorism?