NEW YORK: President-elect Donald Trump has said that he will be shutting down his charitable foundation “to avoid even the appearance of any conflict with my role as president.”

Mr Trump is being asked by most political and social leaders to release his tax returns before he takes office, but is still resisting the calls.

He is also considering a plan to hire an outside monitor for his business interests, which operate under the umbrella of the Trump Organisation, as well as the subsidiary run by his daughter, Ivanka Trump.

A trustee could potentially “block inappropriate contacts between the companies and the federal government,” the New York Times reported.

The Donald J. Trump Foundation has been a persistent source of controversy for Trump.

Published in Dawn December 26th, 2016