Donald Trump’s firm may sell Washington hotel amid ethics complaints, as son Eric Trump says critics are ‘objecting to us making so much money’

US President Donald Trump’s company said on Friday it is exploring the sale of its marquee Washington hotel, which has been at the centre of nearly three years of ethics complaints and lawsuits accusing him of trying to profit off the presidency.

The Trump Organisation says it will consider offers to buy it out of a 100-year lease of the building, partly to avoid criticism over conflicts of interest. The Trump International Hotel, which opened in late 2016 just before Trump was elected, has been a magnet for lobbyists and diplomats looking to gain favour with the administration.

“People are objecting to us making so much money on the hotel and therefore we may be willing to sell,” said Eric Trump, an executive vice-president of the Trump Organization. “Since we opened our doors, we have received tremendous interest in this hotel and as real-estate developers, we are always willing to explore our options.”

The opulent hotel built in the Old Post Office down the street from the White House has hosted parties thrown by diplomats from the Philippines, Kuwait and other countries, and has been among the biggest money makers in Trump’s real estate empire.

It is at the centre of two lawsuits accusing the president of violating the emoluments clause of the US Constitution, which bars presidents from receiving gifts or payments from foreign governments.

According to Trump’s most recent financial disclosure, the 263-room hotel took in US$41 million in revenue last year, up less than half a million dollars from the previous year.