Trump Blares Profits, Eliciting Barely a Peep

Family Moves Line for Accepted Behavior

Author

Matt Davis
May 26, 2025

Morning! Today’s lead story is, would you believe it, one of those about Trump’s corruption, detailing how President Donald Trump and his family have significantly monetized the presidency. Their “monetization” surpasses any efforts by previous occupants of the White House and has occurred with minimal public outrage or official repercussions, Mr. Baker reports.

Over three decades ago, Hillary Clinton faced substantial scrutiny over a $100,000 profit on a cattle future investment. In a sharp contrast, the article notes that President Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, secured $28 million from Jeff Bezos for a promotional film. It’s almost like there’s a double standard at work or something.

The Trumps have collected significant sums through various means, including $320 million from a new cryptocurrency issue, international real estate deals, and the opening of an exclusive club called the Executive Branch in Washington D.C., with a membership fee of $500,000 each. Trump’s administration also received a luxury jet valued at $200 million from Qatar, donated for use both during and after his presidency.

President Trump’s actions have obliterated longstanding ethical boundaries. Despite being a convicted felon, Trump has placed loyalists in key government positions, ensuring minimal opposition or investigation into these activities. The conventional checks and balances seem absent, as Trump has removed inspectors general and other watchdogs, creating an environment where his actions face little scrutiny.

Michael Johnston, an expert on corruption, notes the unprecedented nature of Trump’s administration:

“I’ve been watching and writing about corruption for 50 years, and my head is still spinning.”

I love that quote. As Trump pushes boundaries further, traditional mechanisms of accountability have become ineffective, leading to a scenario where ethical norms are compromised without significant backlash. Paul Rosenzweig, who formerly served as senior counsel during Ken Starr’s investigation of Bill Clinton, reflects on the public’s response:

“Either the general public never cared about this,” he said, or “the public did care about it but no longer does.” He concluded that the answer is that “80 percent, the public never cared” and “20 percent, we are overwhelmed and exhausted.”

“Outrage hasn’t died,” Mr. Rosenzweig added. “It was always just a figment of elite imagination.”

The White House defends Trump’s actions with claims of his financial independence prior to his presidency, as seen in remarks by the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt:

“The president is abiding by all conflict of interest laws that are applicable to the president,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary. “The American public believes it is absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency. This president was incredibly successful before giving it all up to serve our country publicly.”

Estimates suggest that Trump’s net worth has increased substantially during his time in office, contradicting claims of him sacrificing financially to serve. Forbes estimated Mr. Trump’s net worth at $5.1 billion in March, a full $1.2 billion higher than the year before and the highest it has ever been in the magazine’s rankings.

This leads to perceptions that the Trumps are prioritizing personal gain over public service. Donald Trump Jr. openly acknowledged this stance by stating:

“They’re going to hit you no matter what. So we’re just going to play the game.”

And that’s about as fair an assessment of all this as I’ve seen.

Some public opposition is starting to emerge, like in the case of the Qatar plane gift which drew concerns about corruption. A Harvard/CAPS Harris poll indicated that 62 percent of Americans found it “ethically questionable.” Even Trump supporters like Tucker Carlson and right-wing influencer Shawn Ryan expressed concern over the family’s business dealings.

Senator Christopher S. Murphy of Connecticut has been vocal about the corruption, urging a focus on public mobilization and political consequences:

“There are going to be no special counsels; there’s going to be no D.O.J. action. And so it’s really just about public mobilization and politics,” he said.

Murphy emphasizes that political losses for Republicans in special elections could force the party to reassess its complicity. I’m holding my breath.

Corruption scholar Michael Johnston highlights the severity of the issue:

“While we might disagree as to the merits of policy, the president and figures in the executive branch are expected to serve the public good, not themselves.”

And it’s nice, at least, to see somebody say that aloud as if it were a fact. You may be overwhelmed and exhausted by the brazenness of Trump’s corruption but the one thing you can at least do this morning is say that you let somebody read the newspaper about it, so that you don’t have to. It’s an honor and a privilege. Thank you.

Say, is there a story that might cheer me up a bit?

Sure. The greatest sports photo ever made turns 60.

Matt Davis lives in Manhattan with his wife and kid.

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