Senator Questions Rolex CEO About Possible Tariffs Lobbying at US Open
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., released a letter she sent Sept. 24 to Rolex CEO Jean-Frederic Dufour, asking him whether he used Rolex's luxury box at the U.S. Open Tennis Championship as a venue to lobby President Donald Trump and his staff about exempting luxury watches from 39% reciprocal tariffs on Swiss exports.
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"Given the President’s record of doling out special treatment to CEOs who are able to woo him with flattery, payoffs, or both, the timing of his attendance at the match in the Rolex box is concerning," Warren wrote.
She asked Dufour to respond by Oct. 8 to these questions, among others:
- Why did Rolex invite the president to attend the U.S. Open in the Rolex box earlier this month?
- Did you tell the president of any topics you hoped to discuss during the match? If so, please provide a list of these topics.
- What was the value of the seats provided to President Trump and his entourage?
- Did you discuss tariffs or any trade-related issues with the president or his guests? If so, did you discuss the tariff rate currently imposed on Swiss goods or whether the president was considering lowering it? Did you discuss potential exemptions for luxury watches?
- Did you make any commitments with regard to political support, including campaign or campaign-related contributions, to President Trump or to other candidates?
- Please describe any discussions you had with President Trump and other administration officials since the match. Specifically, have you discussed tariffs or any trade-related issues with the president or any other member of the administration?
- If so, have you discussed the tariff rate currently imposed on Swiss goods or whether the president was considering lowering it?