A party boss for Taiwan’s main opposition party, favored by China, blazed The Trump Grand Tour

A top official for Taiwan’s main opposition party appears to have stayed at the U.S. president’s D.C. hotel and visited four other Trump properties in the last few weeks, according to his Facebook posts.

Yang Minsheng, the Kuomintang party’s chair for Taoyuan City, Taiwan’s fifth largest metropolis with more than 2.1 million residents, posted photos on his personal Facebook profile and professional page from at least five different Trump properties between July 23 and Aug. 6.

According an Aug. 8 article on Taiwan by The Economist, “The biggest opposition party, Kuomintang (KMT), supports friendlier ties with the mainland and made big gains in regional elections last November. China’s leaders would like it to vanquish the DPP in next year’s polls.”

Yang’s Facebook posts came up in a search for pictures posted at the Trump Hotel D.C. in the past month. Googling his name turned up several news articles mentioning him, including the one pictured here, by a Taiwanese daily newspaper, China Times. Via Google Translate, that piece identified Yang’s role in the party (confirmed by several other media accounts) and included a photo, which enabled verification that he was the person at the Trump properties.

Yang’s patronage of the U.S. president’s businesses puts him on par with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who’s also visited at least five different Trump properties since their owner became U.S. president.

Here’s the breakdown of the Trump businesses Yang visited and dates he posted the photos (as well as info on some Trump swag he picked up):

Trump Hotel D.C.—July 23, July 29, and Aug. 4, one of which shows him on a floor that requires a key card to access and in a different outfit; he’s also wearing different outfits in some of the pictures
Trump Ferry Point—July 23 and July 29
Trump International Hotel and Tower New York—July 29
Trump Winery—Aug. 1, (one pic shows his companion in a cozy Trump fleece)
Trump Los Angeles—Aug. 6

And, because why the hell not, Yang sported an American flag-themed Trump polo in photos posted July 23 and Aug. 6.

Notable sightings

A glimpse of the foreign officials, government employees, politicians, lobbyists, and the like who patronize or appear at Trump businesses. Most people shown here have reasons to want to influence the Trump administration, rely on its good graces for their livelihoods, or should be providing oversight. Additionally, high-profile guests serve as draws for paying customers.

“It’s never a vacation, it’s working,” the president said a few weeks ago about his plans for his week-long August visit to his Bedminster club. Yesterday he golfed with PGA pro John Daly and posed for photo with Rutgers golfer Christopher Gotterup (his university shared the post).

Rep. Devin Nunes (R–CA) posed with an Instagramer Greg Aselbekian who claims to be a U.S. Marine.

Other Trump Organization news

“Donald Trump Jr., in Indonesia, defends family’s global business” by Fira Abdurachman, Richard C. Paddock, and Eric Lipton for The New York Times
“More examples of personal email use and heavy-handed outside influence at the VA” by American Oversight
“Julián Castro, a Democratic candidate for president, plans to release a television ad Wednesday directly addressing President Trump and faulting his incendiary rhetoric for the massacre in El Paso that left 22 dead and dozens more injured. The ad, which the campaign will also promote on social media, is targeted specifically at the president. The campaign bought several television spots — a small buy of just $2,775 — throughout the day Wednesday on Fox News in Bedminster, N.J., where Trump is spending the week at his private golf club.” by Ashley Parker for The Washington Post
Trump Turnberry will host another boxing match in September.

“Here to #MAGA!,” tonight the Trump 45 Meetup group will “meet and develop friendships with other like minded MAGA peeps” at the Trump Hotel D.C.
Looks like Magnolia Plumbing just worked on the Trump Hotel D.C. That’s notable because on Dec. 21, 2016, Magnolia filed a $2.98 million lien against the hotel for “the unpaid balance for work done.” That lien got settled just before Trump’s inauguration—perhaps even at the behest of the then-president-elect himself.

Fact sheets

Each issue of 1100 Pennsylvania will continue to report on new updates in the House investigations, lawsuits, and health inspections regarding the Trump Hotel D.C. For a rundown of the earlier developments in each one, as well as reference sheets for some of 1100 Pennsylvania’s previous reporting, please see these paid-subscriber-only fact sheets.

House investigations (latest change Aug. 8, 2019)
Lawsuits (latest change Aug. 13, 2019)
Health inspections (latest change June 14, 2019)
Trump cabinet members spotted at the Trump Hotel D.C.: 23 of 31 (latest change July 30, 2019)
U.S. Senators who’ve supported the Trump Hotel D.C.: 26 of 53 Republicans, one Democrat (latest change Aug. 1, 2019)
House Oversight members who’ve supported the Trump Hotel D.C.: Six of 17 Republicans, no Democrats (latest change July 22, 2019)
Rudy Giuliani at the Trump Hotel D.C: A retrospective (published April 30, 2019)

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