'Beans for Brains': Critics Say Trump Photo Promoting Goya Makes Clear Ivanka's Tweet Was No Mistake

President Donald Trump posed in the Oval Office with Goya Foods products Wednesday. (Photo: Instagram/Donald Trump)

'Beans for Brains': Critics Say Trump Photo Promoting Goya Makes Clear Ivanka's Tweet Was No Mistake

"This is an official campaign by the Trump administration to support Goya."

President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed his support for Goya Foods after his daughter Ivanka came under fire for promoting the company in the wake of boycott threats over comments made by CEO Robert Unanue at a White House event last week.

In a photo posted to his Instagram account, the president is seen giving two thumbs up as he sits at the Resolute Desk with an assortment of Goya products in front of him. Ivanka, also a senior White House advisor, on Tuesday night posed for a picture posted to her Twitter holding a can of the company's black beans.

As Common Dreams reported earlier Wednesday, Ivanka Trump tweeting in support of the company was seen as a likely violation of ethics by a number of observers, including Open Secrets researcher Anna Massoglia.

"White House advisor Ivanka Trump promoting Goya seems like it could raise potential ethics issues," Massoglia tweeted, "since executive branch employees other than the president are prohibited from using public office 'for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise.'"

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington executive director Noah Bookbinder agreed, noting on Twitter Wednesday afternoon that the move by the president's daughter seems clearly a violation of ethics rules.

"Everything about Ivanka Trump's tweet praising Goya, which faced backlash after its CEO praised the president, suggests a violation of the rule against promoting private business with an official position," said Bookbinder.

With the president posting a similar message to Instagram, said former director of the United States Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub, the message from the White House is unmistakable.

"This is an official campaign by the Trump administration to support Goya, making it all the more clear that Ivanka's tweet was a violation of the misuse of position regulations," tweeted Shaub.

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