America's richest president ever gets even wealthier while on the job
News and commentary from the southern latitudes for all Americans
By J.C. Bruce
It’s profitable to be president.
Donald Trump raked in $2.2 billion from his various business ventures last year, nearly four times his earnings from 2024, according to a new report from the Office of Government Ethics.
Much of this new wealth comes from cryptocurrency ventures and the sale of schlocky merchandise to the MAGA faithful who continue to throw cash his way.
But the real story, in my opinion, isn’t Trump’s slick investments, but the investments others have made in Trump.
Look no further than the United Arab Emirates. Trump generated nearly half his revenue from one source last year, his cryptocurrency platform World Liberty Financial. An investment firm tied to the Emirates bought a massive stake in Trump’s venture to the tune of $500 million to boost those earnings.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the commander-in-chief of the United States is now personally beholden to another nation while directing our country’s foreign policy.
Should we be alarmed? Absolutely.
Was it a slick move by the Emirates? I suppose it depends on how much you think buying a president is worth.
They clearly took a page out of Qatar’s playbook, the country that pioneered this open bribery when they gave Trump a $400 million 747-8 luxury jet just over a year ago.
And today, Trump waved to the cameras as he boarded his new Air Force One for its inaugural flight.
Oh, it should be noted that the aircraft, while a gift from the Qataris, actually ended up costing us taxpayers in the neighborhood of $1 billion to retrofit. The Air Force claims the tab was only $400 million, but The New York Times has reported that $934 million was suspiciously rerouted from the LGM-Sentinel missile program to help fund the classified components of Trump’s new toy.
According to the 927-page federal financial disclosure filed with the ethics office, Trump’s annual revenue jumped from $622 million in 2024 to over $2.2 billion in 2025. Here’s the breakdown from various sources:
Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets (Over $1.2 Billion): This has become Trump’s primary driver of new wealth. He earned roughly $635 million in royalties through CIC Digital LLC (tied to the TRUMP meme coin) and approximately $594 million from token sales and equity via World Liberty Financial.
Traditional Real Estate & Clubs: His core property portfolio remains highly active. Mar-a-Lago brought in over $77 million, and Trump National Doral in Miami generated $122 million. Other courses in New Jersey, Jupiter, and Scotland brought in over $30 million each.
Legal Settlements ($86.5 Million): He reported millions in payouts from media companies and tech platforms, including Meta ($24.5M), YouTube ($22M), ABC ($16M), and CBS ($16M).
Branded Merchandise: Trump-branded watches brought in $4.7 million, alongside additional millions from endorsed Bibles, sneakers, and fragrances.
By comparison, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington estimates that during all four years of his first term, Trump generated between $1.6 billion and $1.79 billion.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff of California summed it up perfectly on Facebook:
“In the first year of his presidency, Trump made more money than in the rest of his life combined.
“A total of $2.2 billion from the presidency.
“Meanwhile, most Americans worked hard to just break even.
“This is the cost of corruption.”
Related:
Trump’s Crypto Billion-Dollar Surge: Record Gains for Him, Losses for Investors
J.C. Bruce is the founder of Tropic Press. He’s an award-winning journalist and author who holds dual citizenship in the United States of American and his native Florida.
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Our richest president ever in cash and other assets but our poorest president ever in world view and concern for Americans!
Why are people THIS wealthy fixated on acquiring even MORE money? I don't get it. Dude, you can't possibly spend it and you can't take it with you. Your heirs will already be obscenely wealthy. Can anyone explain this mental illness?