"All Mine!"
How Trump Is Using His Presidency to Enrich Himself, His Family & Other Assorted Unscrupulous People
On June 7 and 8, the New York Times published two opinion columns on this eye popping topic.
Read these summaries and...
Complete the sentence with your own reaction and feelings.
A Comprehensive Accounting of Trump’s Culture of Corruption
June 7, 2025. NYT. By the Editorial Board
Trump and Cryptocurrency
1. Trump Crypto Gala: At a recent Trump crypto gala, entrepreneur Justin Sun spent over $40 million on Trump coins, having already invested $75 million previously.
2. SEC Case Paused: After Trump took office, the SEC paused its fraud case against Sun.
3. Conflict of Interest: Trump and his family profit from their crypto ventures regardless of investor losses, with Forbes estimating $1 billion in crypto revenue over 9 months.
4. Policy Reversal: Trump once condemned crypto but now promotes it; he shut down DOJ crypto investigations, pardoned crypto criminals, and nullified IRS crypto-tax rules.
“The message seemed obvious enough: People who make Mr. Trump richer regularly receive favorable treatment from the government he runs.”
Corruption Framework
5. Systemic Self-Enrichment: Trump isn’t necessarily bribed directly but creates systems that reward those who enrich him.
6. Normalization of Corruption: Historian Matthew Dallek calls Trump “the most brazenly corrupt national politician in modern times.”
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Foreign and Domestic Deals Benefiting Trump
7. Middle East Deals: Trump Organization has major real estate deals in Qatar, UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia; Qatar gifted a $200 million Boeing jet for Trump’s personal use.
8. Georgetown Club: Trump Jr.'s new “Executive Branch” club charges $500,000 to join; founding members include crypto executives previously sued by the SEC.
9. Vietnam Projects: Trump-linked projects in Vietnam were fast-tracked during trade negotiations with his administration.
10. Serbian Hotel: Serbian officials used a forged document to greenlight a Trump hotel, demolishing a cultural site.
11. PGA–LIV Merger: Trump helped force a merger between PGA and LIV Golf, which holds tournaments at his courses.
Transactional Pardons and Favor Trading
12. Pardon for Donor’s Son: After a donor paid $1 million to attend a Trump fundraiser, Trump pardoned her son for tax crimes.
13. Media Company Lawsuits: Trump filed dubious lawsuits against regulated media companies, receiving multimillion-dollar settlements amid merger fears.
14. Melania Documentary: Amazon paid $40M for a Melania Trump documentary—an unusually high amount; her cut exceeds 70%.
15. Inaugural Fund: Trump’s inaugural committee raised $239M—much more than predecessors—and used the funds with minimal oversight.
Foreign Investment in Trump Ventures
16. Workaround to Campaign Finance Laws: Foreign donors can’t fund campaigns but can join private clubs or invest in Trump crypto.
17. Foreign Crypto Backers: The UAE invested \$2B and a Chinese-linked tech company up to $300M in Trump meme coins.
Accountability and Threats to Democracy
18. Congressional Republicans Silent: Despite their past criticisms of Democratic improprieties, Republicans have mostly stayed silent on Trump’s corruption.
19. Legal Barriers: Trump’s DOJ won’t investigate him; the Supreme Court has made prosecuting a president for official acts nearly impossible.
20. Use of Pardons: Trump signals he’ll protect supporters with pardons, regardless of the criminality involved.
Impact on Governance and Society
Some nations and business leaders “want to shift government policy to benefit them, often at the expense of the American people”.
21. Normalization of Kleptocracy: Trump’s actions turn the federal government into a tool for personal profit, damaging faith in democracy.
22. Dangerous Precedent: If Trump’s corruption is accepted, other politicians may follow suit, eroding democratic norms and institutions.
23. Economic Risks: Corruption harms economic growth and investor confidence; the U.S. risks becoming a kleptocracy.
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Call to Action: Voters must recognize and reject this corruption; otherwise, the damage to American governance and credibility will deepen.
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Corruption Has Flooded America. The Dams Are Breaking.
June 8, 2025 NYT. By Ben Rhodes
Key Points – Just the Facts:
1. Trump’s Wealth Surge:
* Trump has more than doubled his personal wealth since his 2024 campaign began.
* Billions in foreign money have flowed into his real estate and crypto ventures.
* Qatar provided a luxury plane for his use.
2. Foreign Influence & Pay-to-Play:
* Vietnam approved a \$1.5B Trump golf deal during tariff negotiations.
* UAE and Saudi Arabia received lifted export restrictions after investing in Trump ventures.
* Pakistan Crypto Council signed a deal with Trump’s business.
3. Tariff Power as Personal Leverage:
* Trump uses tariff authority to create uncertainty and extract concessions.
* Tariff decisions bypass Congress and are cast as nationalist actions.
* American consumers, businesses face volatility and higher prices.
4. Regulatory Dismantling & AI Risks:
* Trump scrapped Biden-era AI export controls.
* House bill would bar states from regulating AI for 10 years.
* AI deregulation risks include job loss, cybercrime, surveillance, weapons.
5. Crypto Market Conflict:
* Trump profits from deregulated crypto while policy decisions may affect markets.
* Questions arise over prioritizing family wealth vs. financial stability.
6. Military and National Security Risks:
* Trump pledged a $1T defense budget.
* Concerns over pay-to-play in defense contracts under loyalists.
* Greenland annexation plans likened to Crimea — for prestige and resources.
7. Comparisons to Putin, Orban, Erdogan:
* Fusion of political and personal interests.
* Control of media, justice system, and national assets.
* Empowerment of family and allies as informal gatekeepers
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