Trump's Business Empire Isn't What He Claims

[applegrove]

Trump’s Business Empire Isn’t What He Claims

July 2, 2025 at 7:18 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 64 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2025/07/02/trumps-business-empire-isnt-what-he-claims/

New York Times: “The version of Mr. Trump’s business that he projects — a real estate development company that executes large, complex tasks — hasn’t existed for a nearly a decade, since the Trumps’ last two major construction projects failed to make money.”

“Instead, Mr. Trump’s wealth is now built on monetizing the family name in new ways and, intentionally or not, the office of the presidency. It is an enterprise in pursuit of multimillion-dollar checks — from actual real estate developers, from cryptocurrency and social media enterprises run by others. It is also a business that hawks Trump-branded trinkets like watches and gold-toned mobile phones to the president’s passionate supporters.”

“Many of the deals open multiple channels for anyone to funnel cash to a sitting president, often in ways that are untraceable under current disclosure requirements. And because some of what is being sold is use of the president’s name, there are no clear metrics to gauge whether he has received market rate, a premium because of his office or, in effect, a hopeful bribe.”

[Walleye]

1. I remember when he was running the first time, and was asked what about If he lost

And he said something like “well it would’ve been a total waste of time and money if I lose“ he knew he was getting into a great little moneymaker there in the presidency of the United States

[peggysue2]

2. Intentionally or not???

Give me a frigging break!

[tanyev]

3. IKR? That was the whole point of running for a job he doesn't really enjoy.

NYT

[allegorical oracle]

4. Would submit that he's genuinely wealthier -- with cold, hard, unleveraged cash -- than ever

in his two-bit life.

He has successfully managed to pull the biggest scam/sham in U.S. history by monetizing the Presidency.

His first term was a "dry run" -- to acquaint himself with how federal budget funds are managed and Presidential powers could be optimized.

His second term is wholesale, bald-faced robbery.

[Johnny2X2X]

5. Does that even matter anymore?

He could transfer the entire US treasury to his personal accounts and Congress and the SCOTUS would say, 'Welp, that's his right as President to do so, the people voted for this."