A Regime Corrupt Like No Other

Trump has enriched himself in office to a degree that defies belief

Donald Trump’s presidency and has set a new standard for corruption and self-enrichment in American public life—a pattern so pervasive and shameless that it has become the defining feature of his time in office.

From the very beginning, Trump refused to divest from his sprawling business empire, creating a web of conflicts of interest that reached into nearly every corner of his administration. He made more than $1.6 billion from the Trump Organization and outside income during his first term alone, including millions in taxpayer money funneled through Secret Service stays at his properties.

Special interest groups and foreign governments spent lavishly at Trump hotels, with at least $13.6 million in payments traced directly to foreign entities while he was in office. His international business dealings netted up to $160 million, and his properties hosted 137 political and special interest events, all while he held the highest office in the land.

Trump’s conflicts of interest were not limited to real estate. He installed family members in key White House roles, granting Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner broad authority despite glaring conflicts and personal business entanglements. His administration was notorious for appointing cabinet members and regulators with deep corporate ties, ensuring that government policy frequently aligned with the interests of Trump’s business allies and donors.

The misuse of charitable funds is another stain on Trump’s record. He was ordered to pay $2 million for illegally using Trump Foundation money for political gain, and the foundation was shuttered under court supervision. This episode underscores his willingness to exploit even philanthropy for personal or political advantage.

Trump’s pivot to cryptocurrency has only intensified the grift. He has aggressively promoted the $TRUMP meme coin, a digital asset marketed with the promise of exclusive access to the president for top buyers, including private dinners and events at his luxury properties.

A Chinese company announced plans to buy up to $300 million worth of the coin, guaranteeing more foreign influence and anonymous money flowing directly into Trump’s pockets. Public Citizen and other watchdogs have called for investigations, warning that the president is violating federal laws barring the solicitation of gifts and foreign payments.

Trump’s personal financial disclosures show that since returning to office, he has earned over $57 million from token sales at World Liberty Financial, with total enrichment from crypto, golf, and licensing deals exceeding $600 million—his net worth has surged by at least $300 million during this period. The $TRUMP coin is marketed with the promise of exclusive presidential access, blurring the line between public office and private enrichment. Trump has signed executive orders to promote the U.S. crypto industry, established a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, and appointed a “crypto czar” to shape federal policy—all while his family and business empire profit directly from the sector.

Trump’s corruption is global in scope. He accepted a $400 million Boeing 747 from the Qatari government to use as Air Force One, ostensibly to be donated to his presidential library after his term—an unprecedented gift from a foreign government. His family announced a new Trump Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and he has repeatedly used foreign business deals to enrich himself while shaping U.S. foreign policy. These actions violate the spirit and the letter of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause-not that Trump or his disciples care.

Trump’s corruption extends beyond personal enrichment. He abused government power to maintain his grip on office, from pressuring Ukraine to investigate a political rival (leading to his first impeachment), to undermining the U.S. Postal Service and voting by mail, to firing Inspectors General tasked with rooting out fraud and abuse.

His administration systematically dismantled oversight, weakened ethics rules, and normalized the use of government agencies for partisan gain. The list of Trump’s corrupt acts is exhaustive: money laundering allegations tied to international properties, misuse of charitable funds, and a documented 3,000+ conflicts of interest tracked by watchdogs like CREW. His willingness to sell access, accept foreign payments, and use the presidency as a marketing platform for his businesses and crypto schemes is without precedent in American history.

Trump’s defenders claim this is all politics as usual. It is not. This is a historic betrayal of public trust—a presidency defined not by service, but by self-enrichment, cronyism, and a willingness to put personal gain above the nation’s interests.

The damage to American democracy and global standing will be felt for generations. It is a stain on our national life and an insult to working Americans who can’t afford meme coins to buy influence. So much for the hero of the working class. One is left to wonder what the 77 million suckers who voted for this liar and grifter think now.

Now he is in the midst of his biggest grift of all: adding more than $3 trillion to the national debt in exchange for throwing millions off of Medicaid, impoverishing millions more who voted for him while enriching his billionaire friends. People can’t have nice things in America anymore. Pity we can’t have re-do elections either.