WASHINGTON: A US judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump that alleged he had violated the Constitution by receiving foreign payments through his businesses while in office.

The dismissal is a victory for Trump, but because Judge George Daniels ruled the plaintiffs lacked standing, the underlying merits of the case were not addressed.

The plaintiffs alleged that Trump's "'vast, complicated, and secret' business interests are creating conflicts of interest and have resulted in unprecedented government influence in violation of the Domestic and Foreign Emoluments Clauses," Daniels wrote in his order to dismiss the case.

The Emoluments Clause -- which is effectively an anti-bribery measure -- bars officials from receiving "any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state" while in office without Congressional approval.

"This case involves a conflict between Congress and the president in which this court should not interfere unless and until Congress has asserted its authority," according to Daniels' ruling. —AFP