People are awakening to a painful fact: it’s Trump first, America final. There was a time when ethics in authorities truly meant one thing — when elected leaders recused themselves from selections involving their monetary pursuits and when divestment was the norm. That customary has collapsed.
And it’s greater than somewhat ironic {that a} media firm actually named Fox appears decided to look the different manner whereas the foxes take over the henhouse.
We are residing by way of the most sweeping period of conflicts of curiosity in American historical past. The foxes aren’t simply guarding the henhouse — they’re feasting.
Shortly earlier than his January 2025 inauguration, a agency linked to UAE Nationwide Safety Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought a 49% stake in World Liberty Monetary, a cryptocurrency firm co‑owned by Donald Trump, for $500 million. The deal — brokered with a determine extensively referred to as the “Spy Sheikh”— additionally concerned the switch of a whole lot of 1000’s of superior AI chips to the UAE.
Watchdog organizations have documented 1000’s of conflicts of curiosity throughout Trump’s first time period, based on Residents for Accountability and Ethics in Washington. Stories from Public Citizen, ProPublica, and main information retailers describe an administration the place private enterprise pursuits and public authority are deeply intertwined.
Trump refused to put his belongings in a blind belief, sustaining possession of his motels, golf programs, and licensing ventures. These properties turned magnets for international governments, lobbyists, and particular‑curiosity teams searching for affect.
Members of the Trump household have pursued profitable enterprise alternatives whereas he’s in workplace together with, based on PBS reporting, a proposed stake in a cryptocurrency trade. The line between public service and personal enrichment grows thinner by the day.
Public Citizen has recognized quite a few appointees with deep company ties to the industries they are tasked with regulating. The revolving door hasn’t merely spun sooner — it has disappeared completely.
Trump’s second time period has taken the money‑in mentality to new extremes. Cryptocurrency ventures have added billions to the Trump household’s web value. Critics argue that this administration has normalized transactional governance—quid professional quo dressed up as coverage — the place the central query just isn’t “What advantages the nation?” however “How does Trump profit?”
In response to BBC reporting, loans from international‑owned banks increase questions on potential leverage over U.S. coverage. The White Home denies wrongdoing, however the widespread corruption is unmistakable.
Trump’s presidency is a private enterprise bonanza. And proper now, we — the hens — are paying dearly.
— Rob Arner is a useful resource administration professional who has lived in the Valley for greater than 35 years.
