World - US President Donald Trump has responded
defensively to a Twitter trend about bedbugs at the Trump National
Doral Miami resort, which he favours to host the G7 summit next year.
"No bedbugs at Doral," Trump tweeted after #TrumpBedBugs began
trending on Twitter as users of the social media platform circulated
details of an alleged bedbug infestation at the luxury resort.
Trump confirmed Monday the golf resort has been floated as the venue
for next year's summit.
The resort's size and location near the
airport make it "set up the best" for the annual meeting, he told
reporters at the end of the G7 summit in Biarritz, France.
Soon afterwards, #TrumpBedBugs began trending as reports about a
lawsuit filed in 2016 referring to a "severe" infestation at the
hotel resurfaced.
The lawsuit was filed by a guest who said he had been bitten multiple
times by bedbugs while staying at the Miami resort. The Trump
Organization denied the allegation but settled the case in 2017
shortly after Trump's inauguration, the Washington Post reported.
Trump blamed "Radical Left Democrats" for touching off the trend. He
said they started spreading a "false and nasty rumor" after hearing
that the "perfectly located (for the next G-7) Doral National MIAMI
was under consideration for the next G-7."
Critics say hosting the meeting at a Trump resort gives the
appearance that the president would benefit financially. Trump has
denied that he would.