West News Wire: In October, a women’s tournament financed by Saudi Arabia is anticipated to take place at a New York City-owned golf club run by former President Donald Trump’s company, the city announced on Friday.
The decision to host the Aramco Team Series at the Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx follows a judge’s April decision to reject New York City’s petition to terminate Trump’s contract to manage the course.
On January 6, 2021, shortly after Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol, former mayor Bill de Blasio said that he was terminating Trump’s contracts to manage the golf course and a number of Central Park concessions. The Democratic mayor said the city had the legal right terminate a contract with a company whose leaders are engaged in criminal activity such as inciting an insurrection.
Manhattan state court Judge Debra James ruled that city’s claim that the Trump Organization had breached the contracts lacked any legal foundation.
The Aramco Team Series, first played in 2020 as the Saudi Ladies Team International, is financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The Saudi fund is also backing the LIV Golf tour, set up as a rival to the PGA Tour, which played a tournament at Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey course last month.
Some family members of Sept. 11 victims who blame Saudi Arabia for the 2001 terror attacks criticized Trump for hosting the Saudi-backed tour.
The Saudi government has denied any involvement in the attacks.
Messages seeking comment about Aramco’s Oct. 13-15 tournament in New York City were sent to the Trump Organization and the Aramco Team Series.
Nick Paolucci, a spokesperson for the city law department, said, “As the decision in the previous administration’s court case displayed, contractually, the city is obligated to follow the terms of the Trump Ferry license agreement and cannot unreasonably withhold approval of this tournament.”
