In fact, the Trump Organization effectively acknowledges the inadequacy of the policy in the very document in which it is presented:

We recognize that foreign governments can be organized in very different ways. Some may operate through state-owned and state-controlled entities in industries such as aerospace and defense, banking, finance, healthcare, energy, and others, which may not be reasonably identifiable as foreign government entities, and therefore may not be included in our calculation of profit to be donated.

In other words, a foreign government could still seek to influence Trump via his hotel merely by routing payment through a corporation or individual associated with said government, but not explicitly identified as such.

Far from answering questions regarding whether the hotel would remain a vehicle for potential emoluments, the pamphlet seems to indicate that Trump is abdicating the responsibility he claims to have undertaken voluntarily. It’s not just that the Trump Organization’s unwillingness to entertain the possibility of reduced profits to comply with the Constitution contradicts the president’s pledge to put “America First.” It’s also the latest demonstration of one of the administration’s more self-defeating tendencies: Trump behaves as though ethical guidelines are optional (which, in some cases, they are). This in turn creates a dynamic in which, rather than resolve controversies, the administration escalates conflicts by questioning the need for compliance.

For additional examples, one need look no further than that January 11 press conference. As if to demonstrate to the public the sacrifices he was making on their behalf, Trump took the stage alongside tables stacked with manila folders in which, he claimed, were reams of documents he had signed relinquishing control of his companies. What seemed to have been conceived as a showcase of generosity quickly backfired: Trump’s transition team did not allow reporters to actually open the folders, prompting speculation that they may have simply been props filled with empty paper. Rather than a testament to Trump’s commitment to transparency, the display became an object of derision and a visual reminder of the inadequacy of Trump’s ethical arrangements.

The president has similarly brought controversy upon himself recently over financial disclosure. As has been frequently noted, Trump has continually refused to participate in the decades-old tradition of releasing his tax returns. This means that the only public records of his finances are the disclosure forms he filed with the Federal Election Commission in 2015 and 2016, which provide significantly less information about his financial situation than would his tax returns.

Now, with the disclosure deadline for 2017 approaching, Trump’s team is pushing back against providing even those documents. The Associated Press reported that Dillon suggested that, since the president isn’t legally obligated to refile his disclosure forms until 2018, Trump should not be required to sign the documents this year to certify their veracity. Walter Shaub, who is the head of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) and who has publicly criticized the president’s decision to retain ownership of his businesses while in office, responded by asserting that his office will only accept paperwork with Trump’s signature, a request to which Dillon acquiesced.