Trump Is Openly Using the Presidency To Enrich the Trump Brand and Republicans Don’t Care
The president of the United States on Tuesday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Balmedie, Scotland, to mark the opening of the new Trump International Golf Links, owned by his family (at least until he exits the White House), and designed by his son Eric.
In his cheery promotional remarks, Donald Trump thanked the media (“today they’re not fake news, they’re wonderful news”), gave a shout-out to his daughter-in-law (“Lara, I want to thank you, the head of the Republican Party”), and praised various dignitaries on hand.
“I want to thank, by the way, the prime minister, who was here last night, and who was really very gracious; loves the place,” he said, referencing the United Kingdom’s Keir Starmer, who also joined Trump at another of his Scottish golf properties before hopping on Air Force One with the Trump clan for a sneak peek at Balmedie. “This will,” the commander in chief predicted, “be a tremendously successful place.”
When it comes to the success of real estate developments, as well as name-branded consumer goods and value-shedding meme coins, it is very good indeed to be the president. During his first term, Trump leveraged his office to funnel more business toward properties such as the Trump International Hotel three blocks from the White House. But “since returning to the White House,” Jack Shafer noted in a perceptive and detailed Washington Post article three weeks ago, “Trump has hastened the hustle.”
To wit:
The Wall Street Journal reported in May that Trump encourages Republican officials to stage events at his clubs, where he often appears. His latest financial disclosure statement showed him earning about $57 million from his investment in a Trump-family cryptocurrency company. The family has also raised $2 billion to start a bitcoin-mining company and created new meme coins. His Mar-a-Lago resort brings in about $50 million and his golf course and resort company brings in another $119 million. The disclosure also details royalties from his Trump Bible operations ($1.3 million), Trump sneakers and scents ($2.5 million), watches ($2.8 million), and about $1 million for a Trump guitar. The Trumps are peppercorning the globe with real estate developments in which the partners are fore
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