Grift

Every president has their flaws. Some were segregationists. Some were empire builders. A few were both. But one flaw is strikingly rare in the men who reached the Oval Office—even the worst of them. Very few, if any, used the presidency to gain improper wealth. Their scandals were many, but almost none were about enriching themselves directly.

Until donald trump.

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In his first term, he stole millions. Now he’s going for billions.

And he's already well on his way. If you add up the Saudi $2 billion “investment” in Jared Kushner’s private equity fund, the licensing fees from foreign trademarks, the millions funneled through the Trump Organization by foreign governments via hotel stays and real estate, and now nearly $400 million from foreign nationals buying access through his meme coin, you’re looking at a conservative estimate of at least $2.5 to $3.5 billion in personal and family enrichment since 2016.

That’s not campaign finance abuse. That’s not skimming. That’s a generational-scale heist executed in broad daylight.

trump’s digital token—$TRUMP—has become the newest tollbooth on the road to influence. Foreign nationals have spent $394 million and counting, with the top 25 wallet holders mostly overseas, including Chinese-born crypto tycoon Justin Sun (Responsible Statecraft). What are they buying? Not just dinner invitations. They're buying soft power. Proximity. Protection. Promises.

This isn’t backdoor corruption. This is franchising. The presidency is no longer a civic role—it’s a global monetization engine. A gold-trimmed Qatari jet is just part of the perks package. Foreign governments sponsor tournaments at trump properties. Middle Eastern sovereign funds flood cash into his orbit. The Constitution’s emoluments clause is ignored like a parking meter in a ghost town.

We don’t have a president anymore. We have a brand.

And the brand is only expanding. If this trajectory continues, analysts estimate that trump and his extended network could extract upward of $5 to $10 billion through secondary ventures, digital tokens, foreign “gifts,” and private licensing by the end of his second term. That’s not just speculation—it’s happening in real time, and so far, without meaningful resistance.

Here’s what the numbers look like:

The Trump Grift Economy (Approximate values in billions USD)

That’s $2.43 billion—already higher than the GDP of some small nations.

SourceEstimateSaudi investment (Jared fund) $2.0BForeign hotel & property revenue$300MForeign trademarks & licenses$150MTRUMP Coin (foreign purchases) $394MGolf & event sponsorships $200M. Other / unknown sources $456M

Rep. Jamie Raskin has called for accountability (AINvest). But laws don’t mean much when half of Congress is either complicit or terrified of the base. The Department of Justice tiptoes. Ethics panels wring their hands. And the American people? Most are too distracted or disillusioned to believe what’s right in front of them.

Because trump doesn’t conceal the grift. He glamorizes it. He’s not hiding what he’s doing—he’s daring anyone to try and stop him.

And no one is.

So here we are, halfway through what might be the most profitable presidency in world history. Not for the country. For the man. The office once known for sacrifice and statesmanship has been reduced to a licensing deal with a flag on top.

The first term was proof of concept. This one’s the cash-out.

And if we don’t shut the operation down, donald trump will leave office not just as a political anomaly—but as the first president to make a fortune larger than most dictators by doing nothing more than converting national prestige into private wealth.

What used to be called treason now comes with a loyalty rewards card.

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