Stop the Grift. Win in November

Donald Trump has turned the presidency into a personal enrichment operation. With a spineless Republican Congress and a Supreme Court that has lost its way, Democrats have limited ability to constrain him. But if we get to work, we can change this in November. A Democratic Congress would refuse to fund Trump’s illegal projects, reject his unfit nominees, and use Congressional investigative powers to expose the systematic self-dealing underway every day. Now is the time to begin building for a blue wave in November.

The Brennan Center for Justice estimates Trump has pocketed $3 billion from his personal enterprises since taking office – much of it from foreign governments and others seeking to curry favor with the White House. The House Oversight Committee’s analysis puts the Trump family’s total gains even higher, up to $9.7 billion when digital assets are included. Here is a sampling of Trump’s questionable schemes.  

Crypto as a pay-to-play pipeline. Trump has established crypto businesses through which people seeking government favors can funnel money directly to him. One person accused of fraud by the Biden Administration’s SEC invested $75 million in Trump crypto and then settled the SEC charges against him on highly favorable terms. Much of the recent gain in Trump’s net worth comes from growth in his crypto businesses. The scale of foreign involvement is alarming. Just four days before his inauguration, a firm tied to the UAE’s national security adviser secretly purchased a 49% stake in the Trump family’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, for $500 million – wiring $187 million directly to Trump family accounts. Months later, the administration approved the sale of advanced AI chips to the UAE over bipartisan national security objections.

Stock trading that follows the money. Trump appears to be profiting from the stocks he owns that are affected by his policies. Unlike any President before him, he owns stock in individual companies, not diversified funds. While he says stock purchase-and-sell decisions are made by independent agents, he knows which companies’ stock he owns. And the pattern is striking. Three months after Trump purchased at least $1 million in stock in the Dell technology firm, Dell won a $9.7 billion contract with the Defense Department. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the President made more than 3,600 stock trades potentially valued at over $100 million, including purchases of bonds that would benefit from the Federal Reserve interest rate cuts he was simultaneously pressuring. 

Donations that buy regulatory favors. Trump has allowed donors to channel money into groups that support his political ambitions. Fruit-flavored e-cigarettes designed to appeal to teenagers faced FDA sales restrictions. Then the owner donated $5 million to a Trump affiliated super PAC and afterwards met with the President. Less than a week later, the FDA took steps likely to ease restrictions on flavored vapes. The Trump-appointed FDA commissioner resigned in protest.

Foreign cash for White House access. Beyond crypto, foreign governments and billionaires have found other ways to pay for access. Trump solicited over $300 million from corporate executives to fund a new White House ballroom, hosting donors at a private dinner and reportedly pitching them on additional “Arch de Trump” monument projects. The Trump Organization’s annual income rose from $51 million to $864 million between the first halves of 2024 and 2025 – a 17-fold increase attributable directly to the presidency. 

Replacing independent institutions with ones he controls. Trump has tried to replace independent institutions with ones he controls. For example, he has organized a Board of Peace, which he says may “replace” the United Nations. He is chairman of the Board for life, with broad control over its activities and expenditures. It was ostensibly intended to assist in the rebuilding of Gaza but has much broader stated goals. Nations may join the Board only if Trump invites them (he has already dis-invited  Canada) and they pay $1 billion. Pledged funding is believed to be $17 billion. Monies paid in to date are being held in a private, nonpublic account. Whatever its ultimate fate, the scheme is a window into Trump’s vision of governance, rooted in personal control, funded by others, with no accountability.     

Democratic administrations are different. Neither Presidents Clinton, nor Obama, nor Biden grew rich in office. Clinton put his money in a truly blind trust. Obama put his money in broadly diversified funds not directly affected by any decision he made. Biden did not trade while in office. The contrast could not be clearer.

The first step in bringing honesty back to government is to take control of Congress this fall. Starting now you can staff tables at farmers markets and elsewhere to register voters and attract volunteers for the fall campaign. You can write postcards to low-turnout Democratic-leaning voters, to be mailed in the fall. Soon there will be opportunities to make phone calls or text these voters. Later this summer you can travel to nearby jurisdictions to knock on doors for Democratic candidates. The stakes are high and the work starts now. Sign up now to be a volunteer.