Swiss Lawmakers Call for Investigation into Gifts to Trump Amid Customs Deal
WASHINGTON/BERN – Two Swiss members of parliament have requested a criminal investigation into whether a Swiss business delegation violated anti-corruption laws by gifting expensive items to former U.S. President Donald Trump prior to a customs agreement between Switzerland and the United states. The call for investigation centers on a Rolex table clock and a gold bar reportedly seen on Trump’s desk following a November visit by Swiss entrepreneurs seeking reduced import tariffs.
green MPs Greta gysin and Raphaël Mahaim sent a letter to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office stating the inquiry is necessary to protect “the credibility of our institutions, respect for the rule of law and switzerland’s reputation at the international level.”
the delegation, which included Rolex boss Jean-Frédéric Dufour and marwan Shakarchi, head of precious metal company MKS PAMP, traveled to Washington in early November to lobby for lower tariffs on Swiss goods. Ten days later, both countries announced an agreement reducing U.S. tariffs from 39 to 15 percent, though many details remain undisclosed.
while business associations welcomed the deal, the practice - dubbed “bullion diplomacy” – drew criticism in Switzerland.
Gysin and Mahaim’s letter highlights the unkown value of the gifts and the lack of clarity regarding their final disposition. They specifically request the prosecutor’s office determine if the gifts constitute an “unjustified advantage” under Swiss criminal law, referencing Article 322 of the Criminal Code concerning “bribery of foreign officials.”
