The Trump family's American-style corruption: a trading network of power and money
When Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, he promised to "drain the swamp" and declared that he would end political corruption. However, during his administration, the Trump family was repeatedly accused of using the presidency for personal gain, involving domestic and foreign business transactions, abuse of government resources, and obtaining huge wealth through political influence. Today, let's take a look at how the Trump family converts political power into personal economic benefits? Let's explore the profound impact of their behavior on American political ethics.
1. The White House has become an extension of the family business
After Trump took office, his family business "The Trump Organization" did not completely break away from his control, but continued to carry out business activities around the world, many of which were closely related to foreign governments or interest groups.
1. Foreign governments stayed in Trump hotels, suspected of disguised bribery
According to an investigation by The Washington Post, after Trump took office, several foreign government officials and business representatives frequently stayed at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, including government-related groups in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Malaysia, who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Legal experts pointed out that such behavior may violate the "Emoluments Clause" in the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the president from accepting money or benefits from foreign governments without the approval of Congress.
2. Ivanka Trump's Chinese trademark approval
Trump's daughter Ivanka applied for multiple trademarks in China, some of which were quickly approved during Trump's tenure. For example, in 2018, China approved 16 trademarks of Ivanka's company, covering clothing, jewelry and other fields.
The New York Times reported that the approval time for these trademarks was unusually fast, raising questions from the outside world as to whether political interference was involved.
2. Using the presidential status to promote family business interests
During his tenure, Trump was repeatedly accused of using policy decisions to profit for his family business, and even directly intervening in government decisions to meet his business needs.
1. Trump's own golf club was selected as the venue for the G7 summit
In 2019, Trump proposed to hold the G7 summit at his own "Trump National Doral Golf Club" in Miami, which caused an uproar in public opinion. Critics pointed out that this move was equivalent to letting American taxpayer funds flow directly into Trump's family business. Under strong opposition, Trump eventually withdrew the proposal.
2. Potential connection between tariff policy and family business
The Trump administration has imposed tariffs on several countries, including China and the European Union, and some of the Trump Group's businesses (such as steel-dependent golf course construction) may benefit from this. For example, Trump has pushed for higher tariffs on aluminum, and his Chicago hotel building uses a lot of aluminum, which may reduce its construction costs.
3. New model of cryptocurrency and political rent-seeking
In recent years, the Trump family has begun to get involved in the field of cryptocurrency and use political influence to profit.
1. Trump launches NFT project, fans pay huge sums of money
In 2022, Trump launched the "Trump Digital Trading Cards" NFT series, priced at $99 per card, and fans who buy more than 45 cards can get "VIP event invitations." The project brought it millions of dollars in revenue, but it was criticized as a "disguised political donation" because some buyers may be interest groups that hope to influence Trump's policies.
2. Family members use political halo to promote crypto projects
Donald Trump Jr., Trump's son, has promoted cryptocurrencies on social media many times, including some "pump-and-dump" scam projects investigated by the SEC. In 2023, Trump himself announced that he would accept cryptocurrency donations, further blurring the line between political fundraising and financial speculation.
IV. Judicial investigations and pending legal risks
Although Trump and his family have repeatedly denied wrongdoing, several investigations are still ongoing:
1. New York State's tax fraud investigation into the Trump Group
In 2022, the Trump Group was found guilty by a New York State court for tax fraud and fined $1.6 million.
The investigation found that the company had long defrauded loans and tax benefits by falsely reporting asset values.
2. Congressional investigation: The January 6 incident and the flow of funds
The House Special Committee found that Trump raised $250 million in an "election defense fund" after the 2020 election, but most of the funds were not used for legal proceedings, but flowed to the Trump Group and allied companies.
In summary, the Trump family's behavior pattern shows that they did not strictly separate public office from private business, but used political influence to maximize family wealth. Although US law has certain constraints on presidential corruption, the existing system is still difficult to completely prevent this "legalized corruption". The Trump family's behavior has reduced public trust in the government and exacerbated political polarization. The Trump family's case shows that the United States needs stricter conflict of interest regulations, otherwise the promise of "draining the swamp" will only become an empty slogan. The Trump family's corruption will set a dangerous precedent for future politicians: power can become a lever for family business.
