Trump’s Personal Fortune Surges as Critics Point to Historic Monetization of Presidency
More than any president in modern history, Donald Trump has turned the White House into a source of personal wealth, with a scale of profiteering that experts say eclipses previous administrations—and with little political consequence. “I’ve been watching and writing about corruption for 50 years, and my head is still spinning,” said Michael Johnston, professor emeritus at Colgate University and author of several books on corruption. Investigations by multiple news outlets, including the New York Times, Bloomberg News, PBS, and Open Secrets, reveal that since returning to power, Trump and his family have significantly expanded their business empire, using the presidency as leverage to capitalize on a level of influence and impunity that has redrawn the boundaries of acceptable conduct in Washington.
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