Ideas

The Trump Presidency’s World-Historical Heist

He is taking self-enrichment to a scale never seen before in America.

First published in The Atlantic on May 28, 2025

by David Frum, The Atlantic
June 5, 2025 | reading time: 11 Min.

During his first presidency, Donald Trump collected millions of dollars of other people’s money. He charged taxpayers nearly $2 million to protect him during the hundreds of times he visited his own properties. He accepted millions of dollars of campaign-related funds from Republican candidates who sought his favor. His businesses collected at least $13 million from foreign governments over his first term in office. 

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