by Written by Stacy M. BrownSenior National Correspondent for the Black Press USA
For Donald Trump, his second term in the White House has been a treasure trove. According to a New Yorker investigation, his two presidencies have directly contributed to over $1 billion in personal and family advantages, including luxury benefits, product sales, and overseas mega-projects that blur or even completely erase the distinction between public office and private wealth. Trump promised Americans when he first entered office in 2017 that he would hand over day-to-day management of the business he founded to his sons rather than destroy it. Such a handoff, he said, would prevent the impression of abusing the president. That promise has been shredded after eight years.
According to The New Yorker, Trump and his family have benefited from enormous windfalls that would have been unthinkable without the presidency, including contracts for golf courses in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Dubai, and Qatar as well as Persian Gulf real estate. In addition to hundreds of millions from the UAE and Qatar, Jared Kushner’s private-equity business, Affinity Partners, was able to win a $2 billion investment from the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, creating hundreds of millions for Kushner himself. Since Trump entered politics, Mar-a-Lago’s earnings have increased fivefold, generating at least $125 million in additional revenue from members who are ready to spend up to $1 million to join.
Separate from his campaign store, Trump’s personal merchandising business has generated $27.7 million from the sale of flip-flops, koozies, and MAGA-style caps. His personal legal expenses have cost donor-funded PACs more than $100 million. He was given a $150 million Boeing 747-8 by the Emir of Qatar as a gift to utilize when he left office. With special attention from the Trump administration, the Communist Party of Vietnam is pushing a large golf and hotel complex in Hanoi that is expected to generate $40 million in licensing revenue.
Together, the major media corporations ABC, Meta, X, and CBS have given $63 million to Trump’s presidential library foundation to satisfy defamation allegations that were deemed unfounded by legal experts but were settled within the authority of the president. Trump and his family have made significant investments in cryptocurrency, NFTs, and token sales, earning at least $14.4 million from ownership of digital currency and licensing fees. According to ethics watchdog Fred Wertheimer, who spoke to The New Yorker, Trump is unique when it comes to leveraging his public position to increase his own wealth. The total haul is almost $1.02 billion, a number that has never been approached by any previous Oval Office occupant.
According to Robert Weissman of Public Citizen, we will never truly know.
