What Trump's really campaigning for: More time to stuff your money into his own pockets

President Trump has been stuffing his pockets with taxpayer cash. According to the Washington Post, which obtained payment receipts with a public records request, "taxpayers have paid Trump’s businesses more than $900,000 since he took office." More than half of that total is due to presidential travel expenses — but their figure is by no means a comprehensive total. It will take a major investigation to figure out just how much Trump has profited personally off the presidency.
All of it is an egregious violation of the Constitution. Article II, Section 1, states that while he is in office, the president "shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them." An emolument is any kind of payment or gift. The obvious intention is to prevent the president from abusing his authority to enrich himself — it's democratic republic 101 stuff.
Yet that is exactly what Trump has been doing for the last four years. Mysteriously, congressional Democrats refused to include public looting in their impeachment brief against Trump, but it is beyond clear that if he wins another term, that is what will happen — another four years with both his hands deep in the pockets of the American people.
Subscribe to 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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Ryan Cooper is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.
-
Store closings could accelerate throughout 2025
Under the Radar Major brands like Macy's and Walgreens are continuing to shutter stores
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: February 20, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: February 20, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Will Trump lead to more or fewer nuclear weapons in the world?
Talking Points He wants denuclearization. But critics worry about proliferation.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Why Trump and Musk are shutting down the CFPB
Talking Points And what it means for American consumers
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Are we now in a constitutional crisis?
Talking Points Trump and Musk defy Congress and the courts
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
What can Democrats do to oppose Trump?
Talking Points The minority party gets off to a 'slow start' in opposition
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Palestinians and pro-Palestine allies brace for Trump
TALKING POINTS After a year of protests, crackdowns, and 'Uncommitted' electoral activism, Palestinian activists are rethinking their tactics ahead of another Trump administration
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine hints at end to 'hot war' with Russia in 2025
Talking Points Could the new year see an end to the worst European violence of the 21st Century?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published