Trump Jr: 'Nonsense' that family's profiting from presidency

NEW DELHI (AP) — Donald Trump Jr. said that any talk of his family profiting from his father's presidency is "nonsense" during a trip to India that has raised ethical concerns about using the name of the American president to promote international business ventures.

The eldest son of President Donald Trump, who is in India to meet the promoters and buyers of Trump brand luxury homes in the country, said his family is actually missing out on business opportunities because his father pledged to conduct no new foreign business while he was in office.

Trump Jr., who along with his brother Eric now runs the Trump Organization, told Indian television channel CNBC-TV18 on Tuesday that when critics talk about them "profiteering from the presidency and all this nonsense" they forget about "the opportunity cost of the deals that we were not able to do."

"It's sort of a shame. Because we put on all these impositions on ourselves and essentially got no credit for actually doing that ... for doing the right thing," he added.

Trump Jr.'s visit prompted one Democratic senator to press the American ambassador to India to explain if the embassy in New Delhi had provided any aid or guidance to the president's son.

"I expect that the U.S. State Department, including U.S. Embassy Delhi will treat Mr. Trump no differently than it would any other American individual visiting on private business , and will take every effort to avoid any perception of special treatment or a conflict of interest," Sen. Robert Menendez wrote to U.S. ambassador Kenneth Juster today. Menendez is the ranking Democratic on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In the letter, Menendez asked Juster if American diplomats in India had briefed Trump Jr. during his visit or provided any support staff. Menendez also asked Juster whether any steps were taken "to make clear to the Indian government and citizens of the country that Mr. Trump in no way speaks on behalf of the United States government."