{"id":860046,"date":"2025-07-04T19:11:51","date_gmt":"2025-07-05T00:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/04\/trump-temporarily-keeps-nj-liquor-licenses-but-faces-special-rules\/"},"modified":"2025-07-04T19:11:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-05T00:11:51","slug":"trump-temporarily-keeps-nj-liquor-licenses-but-faces-special-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/04\/trump-temporarily-keeps-nj-liquor-licenses-but-faces-special-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Temporarily Keeps NJ Liquor Licenses-But Faces Special Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Topline<\/h2>\n

New Jersey granted temporary liquor permits to two of President Donald Trump\u2019s golf clubs Monday\u2014but is requiring alcohol profits be held in separate accounts and barring their payout to Trump\u2019s companies\u2014as the state\u2019s investigation into whether his convictions disqualify the businesses from pouring enters its second year. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump sips a glass after making a toast at the United Nations during the 72nd … More<\/span> session of the General Assembly in 2017. (AFP PHOTO \/ Brendan Smialowski)<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/fbs-accordion>AFP via Getty Images<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Key Facts<\/h2>\n
\n

A Manhattan jury found Trump guilty<\/a> in May 2024 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records tied to hush-money payments during the 2016 campaign, crimes each punishable by up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.<\/p>\n

New Jersey law bars anyone convicted of crimes \u201cinvolving moral turpitude\u201d<\/a>\u2014including \u201cdishonesty, fraud or depravity\u201d severe enough to typically be punishable by more than a year in prison\u2014from holding a liquor license, according to a state handbook, first reported by Forbes in June 2024.<\/p>\n

After Trump\u2019s conviction, New Jersey\u2019s Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) declined to renew<\/a> the liquor licenses at his Bedminster and Colts Neck clubs, instead issuing a series of temporary permits\u2014first for 90 days pending a hearing, then extended<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On Monday, with the latest temporary licenses set to expire, the ABC issued six-month<\/a> permits<\/a>, letting the clubs continue to serve alcohol but requiring liquor proceeds be kept in separate accounts, banning their payout to Trump\u2019s companies and demanding extra records on the clubs\u2019 ownership, according to copies of the permits obtained by Forbes.<\/p>\n

Losing the liquor licenses would be one of the few direct penalties Trump could face from his felony conviction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are pleased with this latest extension of our licenses and look forward to working cooperatively with the ABC to ensure that our valued members and guests continue to enjoy the finest services and amenities at our world-renowned clubs,\u201d a spokesperson for the Trump Organization told Forbes in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Contra<\/h2>\n

The Trump Organization contends<\/a> Trump\u2019s conviction shouldn\u2019t matter because he isn\u2019t listed as a holder, officer or director on any New Jersey liquor license, according to a statement provided after Forbes\u2019 initial report.<\/p>\n

Key Background<\/h2>\n

New Jersey regulators determined in 2024 that Trump holds a \u201cdirect beneficial interest\u201d<\/a> in the clubs\u2019 liquor licenses, because he receives profits from them, countering his argument that the conviction shouldn\u2019t matter. Court records and Trump\u2019s financial disclosures show he is the sole owner<\/a> of the clubs through a series of LLCs held by a revocable trust, of which he is also the sole beneficiary and sole provider of assets. The Trump Organization confirmed in an April regulatory filing in the United Kingdom that, as president, Trump retains control<\/a> over his businesses. Other states, however, reached different conclusions: A spokesperson for California\u2019s alcohol regulator, for example, previously told Forbes because Trump transferred the license for his Los Angeles-area club to Donald Trump Jr. in 2017, he is no longer part of the license\u2014even though he remains the sole beneficiary of the underlying business. <\/p>\n

Why Hasn\u2019t New Jersey Made A Final Decision?<\/h2>\n

The ABC does not appear to have publicly explained why it\u2019s taken more than a year to decide if Trump\u2019s felony convictions should cost his clubs their liquor licenses.<\/p>\n

Crucial Quote<\/h2>\n

\u201cProfiting from a liquor license is a privilege, not a right granted by law,\u201d Allison Inserro, a spokesperson for the New Jersey attorney general, told Forbes. She added the special conditions were \u201cconsistent with the division\u2019s obligation to ensure that all liquor licensees comply with the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Big Number<\/h2>\n

$49.2 million: That\u2019s the income<\/a> Trump reported from his Bedminster and Colts Neck golf clubs in his June 2025 financial disclosure, which appears to cover all of 2024.<\/p>\n

News Peg<\/h2>\n

Trump\u2019s conviction in May 2024 made him the first former U.S. president to become a felon.<\/p>\n

Surprising Fact<\/h2>\n

Golf markers featuring the presidential seal<\/a> have appeared at five Trump courses, including Bedminster, a potential violation of federal law barring its use for commercial purposes.<\/p>\n

Tangent<\/h2>\n

Trump\u2019s Bedminster club received a 32 out of 100 health inspection<\/a> score in May, the lowest grade in Somerset County, and was issued a \u201cconditionally satisfactory\u201d C grade after it was flagged for 18 violations, including all three requirements in the \u201cfood protected from contamination\u201d category. On a subsequent reinspection, the club earned a B grade with a score of 86\u2014the lowest score possible to still receive that grade. <\/p>\n

Forbes Valuation<\/h2>\n

Forbes estimates Donald Trump is worth<\/a> about $5.3 billion, with crypto making up the bulk of his wealth.<\/p>\n

Further Viewing<\/h2>\n

Further Reading<\/h2>\n

After Years Of Lying, Trump Organization Tries To Figure Out How Big Its Properties Actually Are<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s Properties Charged Defense Department $1 Million, New Documents Reveal<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n

How Trump Built A Golf Empire With Secret Financing<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s How Much Trump Received For Hosting Saudi-Backed Golf Tournament<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n

How Donald Trump Shifted Kids-Cancer Charity Money Into His Business<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>
\n Zach Everson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Topline New Jersey granted temporary liquor permits to two of President Donald Trump\u2019s golf clubs Monday\u2014but is requiring alcohol profits be held in separate accounts and barring their payout to Trump\u2019s companies\u2014as the state\u2019s investigation into whether his convictions disqualify the businesses from pouring enters its second year. President Donald Trump sips a glass after<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":860047,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27010,4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-860046","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-temporarily","8":"category-trump"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=860046"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860046\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/860047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=860046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=860046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=860046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}