Trump's pernicious grift

Why won't Trump just pay his own way?

President Trump boards Air Force One.
(Image credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Donald Trump has long been familiar with the perks of being a celebrity. When you're a star, people give you things for free. Sure, sometimes you have to smile through a boring awards show to get your high-dollar goodie bag, and sometimes you need to take 300 selfies a pop to earn your swag. But it's one of America's annoying little quirks that when you've reached a certain level of fame and fortune, people give you free goods and services.

In politics, it's supposed to be different, for the most part. You're a salaried public servant, and taking things for free is usually seen as tiptoeing up to bribery.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.