Trump's crypto ventures earned him at least $1.4bn last year according to his own financial disclosures, even as roughly a million investors in a Trump-linked crypto scheme lost about $3.8bn as values collapsed. His Truth Social business is now selling wealthy buyers early access to his posts for $100,000 a month, a scheme Sen. Mark Warner has urged Wall Street trade groups to reject over conflict-of-interest concerns. Separately, Trump's Justice Department settled his $10bn lawsuit against the IRS in a deal that could grant him and his family audit immunity and save him roughly $100m.
Ethics experts also flagged Trump's acceptance of a $400m jet from Qatar and foreign-backed investment in Trump-family properties abroad as apparent emoluments concerns. A CNN poll found 66% of respondents believe Trump does not put the country's interests ahead of his own. Former FEC counsel Larry Noble said the pattern already looks like 'the most openly corrupt administration in our history,' while historian Julian Zelizer said Trump has 'smashed all guardrails' that existed even in his first term.
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