Donald Trump says he is quitting business because it is 'visually important'

Many of the world's most prominent constitutional lawyers disagree with Mr Trump's claim that he could have held onto his business despite being President

President-elect Donald Trump supporter Pier Fenzi of New Jersey stands in the lobby of Trump Tower November 29, 2016 in New York (BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images)

Donald Trump will quit business because it is "visually important", he has said.

Announcing that he will be leaving his company, the President-elect claimed that he wasn't actually mandated to divest himself of his business interests. Instead he said that he was doing it so that the American people would think he is committed to the job.

That is despite the opinion of many of the world's most prominent constitutional lawyers, who have been near-unanimous in arguing that Mr Trump would have to leave his business interests before becoming President.

In a series of tweets, the billionaire businessman said that he wasn't "mandated to do this under the law". But he feels that it is "vsually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses", he said.

That view has already been contradicted by a range of constitutional experts. Many have warned that President-elect Trump would have to rid himself of his businesses before he entered the Oval Office, and that not doing so would mean that his administration would be breaking the constitution from its first day.

Mr Trump's announcement was apparently intended as a preview of an event on 15 December where he will reveal more details of his plan. It's expected that it will involve handing over his businesses to his children – a suggestion that has already been criticised as an improper way of divesting himself of his interests.