In his first time period, Donald Trump raided the US in methods no president ever had:
He stayed in his personal motels, so the Secret Service would have to pay him to guard him.
Leaders from foreign nations, who got here to Washington, D.C., knew that they needed to e-book rooms and occasions at his lodge to achieve favor or an viewers. In reality, when Trump unexpectedly received the presidency in 2016, many scrambled to rebook at his Washington lodge.
As well as, members of the Republican party and elected officials made the identical preparations as an indication of loyalty: They paid monetary tribute to Trump, hoping for favors or appointments, or even pardons. When Trump bought the lodge, the GOP bookings dried up.
And in the second time period, the corruption has been even extra insidious: Trump has elevated his and his household’s wealth by an estimated $3 billion with crypto schemes, social media stock offerings, foreign real estate dealings and extra.
Even high MAGA influencers — many who also are crypto proponents — have applauded Trump’s daring leverage of the presidency for his personal wealth and to additional pad the financial institution accounts of billionaire cupboard members (with alleged market manipulation) and advisor Elon Musk (with government contracts).
Others have said they feel betrayed.
However the backside line is: All of them know Trump is grifting big-time.
So, that’s why one Democrat activist mentioned Individuals must be “an fool” to believe press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s latest ridiculous lie:
“I believe it’s frankly ridiculous that anybody in this room would even counsel that President Trump is doing something for his personal profit,“ she mentioned on Friday. ”He left a lifetime of luxurious and a lifetime of working a really profitable actual property empire for public service … this can be a president who has truly misplaced cash for being president.”
As former GOP advisor David Frum said, ” … it seems to be like in his second time period, [Trump] thought, You already know, if I ever get another probability, this time I’m going to suppose massive. And it seems to be as if by way of his numerous mysterious crypto ventures, lots of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}, if no more, are shifting from all types of individuals everywhere in the planet to himself and to his household. And once more, that is shadowy. It will probably’t be very exact, however it seems to be like vastly extra money than in the primary time period has already moved into his palms in the second.”
Frum’s podcast associate Anne Applebaum, an authoritarian skilled, chimed in as she defined how Trump is working “The Most Corrupt Presidency in American Historical past,” declaring 4 areas the place Trump is utilizing authorities to complement himself, his household and cronies:
— Violations of the emoluments clause of the Structure, which says a president can’t profit from relationships with foreigners. Trump is making actual property offers and internet hosting Saudi golf tournaments, to call solely two examples.
— By placing Musk in cost of the federal authorities, Trump is creating battle of curiosity that will line his pockets or these of his supporters, like Musk, who’re steering contracts and money to himself. Musk gave greater than $250 million to Trump’s marketing campaign.
— By putting in loyalists on the Division of Justice, Trump is eradicating any probability that alleged corruption will likely be investigated.
— He’s partaking in direct corruption with the creation of his crypto firm, World Liberty Financial, which permits folks to secretly give him cash.
According to Wired, enterprise leaders are paying as a lot as $5 million to satisfy one-on-one with the president at his Florida compound, sources inform WIRED, whereas others are paying $1 million to $1.5 million apiece to dine with him in a bunch setting.
Proof reveals that the notion that Trump — whose wealth plummeted whereas he was out of workplace from 2020-2024 — sacrificed financially to be president is absurd.
Zack Guzmán, a crypto journalist and founding father of Coinage, mentioned that whereas some crypto founders and traders stay optimistic in regards to the Trump presidency, there’s already some purchaser’s regret.
“When he talked on the marketing campaign path about making the U.S. the crypto capital of the world, was it nearly Trump making an attempt to earn money for himself and his household?” Guzmán said. “It’s positively honest to say the latter has been his precedence to date.”
Our journalism wants your assist. Please subscribe in the present day to NJ.com.
