This can’t possibly be true, can it?

Just joking. It’s the Trump administration. Of course it can, and probably is true.

The former Mexican ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sahrukahn, tweeted out on Tuesday that he’s been informed that world leaders are being directed by the State Department that when they stay in D.C., to stay at the Trump Hotel.

Kakistocracia: ex funcionario EU me dice q Protocolo DptoEstado fue instruido a enfatizar a gobs🌎 usar HotelTrump p/ viajes oficiales a DC

— Arturo Sarukhan (@Arturo_Sarukhan) October 31, 2017

A translation was provided by another Twitter user.

Kakistocracy: Ex US diplomat told me that Dept of State protocol emphasizes to world leaders to use Trump Hotels for official visits.

— Becca in Spring Hill FL🇵🇷🌊 (@beccaq59) October 31, 2017

That use of the term, “Kakistocracy” was a nice touch.

It has been an ongoing controversy ever since Trump became the Republican nominee: Can his businesses run afoul of the emoluments clause?

If the State Department is, indeed, directing foreign diplomats to invest their money into Trump’s properties, then it certainly smacks of corruption.

This is where I add that, so far, nothing is proven.

We do know that foreign visitors have been staying at Trump’s properties. We don’t know for certain that they’re being directed there by the State Department, and we don’t know just how far over the line of propriety this may wander.

I can see raised eyebrows, but otherwise blowing off foreign diplomats staying at one of Trump’s hotels or resorts. It gets a bit trickier, however, if they’re being expressly directed there by the State Department.

And I’m sure there’ll be folks arguing both sides of this.

Until then, however, we just have the word of a former foreign diplomat to go on, and it just sounds bad.