Trump says he 'couldn't care less' that being president is 'costing me from $3 to $5 billion'
After declaring he "couldn't care less" that the presidency is "costing me a fortune," President Trump went on to complain at length about the billions of dollars he claims to be losing because of the job.
Trump visited the Shell Petrochemical plant in Monaca, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, and spoke to hundreds of factory employees who were paid by Shell to attend the event, The Associated Press reports. Although this was an official White House event, Trump spent a good chunk of time insulting the media and 2020 presidential candidates like former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). He also took credit for the building of the plant, despite its construction being announced in 2012.
Trump went on to lament that "this thing is costing me a fortune, being president. Somebody said, 'Oh, he might have rented a room to a man from Saudi Arabia for $500.' What about the $5 billion that I'll lose?" Trump was referring to people arguing that the Constitution's emoluments clause prohibits his businesses from accepting payments made by foreign governments.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
He added that he has to spend a lot of money on lawyers "cause everyday they sue me for something," and "it's probably costing me from $3 to $5 billion for the privilege of being — and I couldn't care less — I don't care. You know if you're wealthy, it doesn't matter. I just want to do a great job." Trump has not released his tax returns, so his exact net worth is unknown.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
DOJ targets ‘disparate impact’ avenues of discrimination protectionsIN THE SPOTLIGHT By focusing solely on ‘intentional discrimination,’ the Justice Department risks allowing more subtle forms of bias to proliferate
-
‘Consistency at the ballot box isn’t nearly as meaningful to many voters here’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
8 musicals to see this winter, all across the United Statesthe week recommends New shows and reconsidered productions are on the move
-
‘City leaders must recognize its residents as part of its lifeblood’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem might not be long for TrumplandIN THE SPOTLIGHT She has been one of the most visible and vocal architects of Trump’s anti-immigration efforts, even as her own star risks fading
-
Senate votes down ACA subsidies, GOP alternativeSpeed Read The Senate rejected the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, guaranteeing a steep rise in health care costs for millions of Americans
-
Abrego García freed from jail on judge’s orderSpeed Read The wrongfully deported man has been released from an ICE detention center
-
Indiana Senate rejects Trump’s gerrymander pushSpeed Read The proposed gerrymander would have likely flipped the state’s two Democratic-held US House seats
-
Will there be peace before Christmas in Ukraine?Today's Big Question Discussions over the weekend could see a unified set of proposals from EU, UK and US to present to Moscow
-
‘The menu’s other highlights smack of the surreal’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Democrat files to impeach RFK Jr.Speed Read Rep. Haley Stevens filed articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
