How Trump used the presidency to benefit himself and his allies

President Donald Trump attempted to create a nearly $1.8 billion fund that could be funneled to his supporters to settle a lawsuit he filed against his own government — even arguing that he “gave up a lot of money by authorizing it.”

However, after sparking an outcry in Congress and the courts, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers Tuesday that the administration was abandoning plans to create the fund. That potentially means the trial — and the possibility the president could still cash in — could resume.

Trump has not been shy about making the presidency a major source of personal perks, from merchandising deals to crypto projects to high-value political and official events at his properties.

Asked about possible self-dealing, the White House called such suggestions “the same tired rhetoric that Democrats have pushed against President Trump, his family and his administration for a decade.”

“President Trump only acts in the best interests of the American public – that’s why they overwhelmingly re-elected him to this office, despite years of lies and false accusations against him and his businesses from the fake media,” spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. “There are no conflicts of interest.”

Here are some of the key ways Trump has reaped rewards for himself, his children and his allies during his second term:

Lawsuit against his government and agreements favoring his family

Last year, the president filed a $230 million compensation claim with the Justice Department over an FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida as part of an investigation into whether he took classified documents from the White House.

In January of this year, Trump, his two eldest sons and the family business, the Trump Organization, filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and the Treasury Department after a former IRS contractor illegally disclosed Trump’s tax returns.

To try to resolve these cases, the Trump administration agreed to have $1.776 billion in taxpayer money distributed to people who believe they were targeted by previous administrations for politically motivated prosecutions — including Trump supporters jailed for attacking police as they invaded the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump are pictured at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, January 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump are pictured at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, January 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

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After backlash from some congressional Republicans, the Justice Department has now said it will comply with a ruling temporarily blocking the fund. Blanche was clearer Tuesday, telling a House committee, “We are not moving forward with the fund.”

But there was less clamor over another part of the deal allowing the government to drop ongoing IRS audits of Trump and his inner circle. Blanche said the Justice Department would not abandon that part of the deal.

Separately, the Air Force agreed to purchase interceptor drones from Powerus, a Florida-based company linked to the Trump family. And ProPublica reported that the White House’s direct intervention preceded the Pentagon’s agreement to lend $620 million to Vulcan Elements, a North Carolina startup linked to Donald Trump Jr.

Trump Organization spokeswoman Kimberly Benza denied any ethical conflict between the White House and the family business.

“The Trump Organization operates completely separately from the presidency and fully complies with all ethics and conflict of interest laws,” Benza said in a statement.

As for Powerus, Benza said Eric Trump was “a passive investor in a vehicle that, among many others, owns a stake” in the company, but was not involved in its decision-making or management.

President Donald Trump and Eric Trump watch the Maaden LIV Golf Virginia tournament at Trump National Golf Club, May 9, 2026, in Sterling, Virginia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

President Donald Trump and Eric Trump watch the Maaden LIV Golf Virginia tournament at Trump National Golf Club, May 9, 2026, in Sterling, Virginia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

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Trump traded stocks and bonds in a manner unprecedented for a sitting U.S. president.

Office of Government Ethics filings show that Trump made more than 3,600 stock trades in the first quarter of 2026 alone, with transactions well in excess of $100 million.

Many of these transactions involved large purchases of shares of technology and artificial intelligence giants like Nvidia, Dell, Oracle and Palantir before the Trump administration took policy actions in favor of these companies.

Similar revelations last year show that Trump purchased more than $300 million in corporate, state and municipal bonds, even as he repeatedly pressured the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates — a move that could help drive up the value of his holdings.

Specialist Michael Pistillo works at his post at the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Specialist Michael Pistillo works at his post at the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

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Trump’s family has reaped big profits in the crypto sector since his re-election. One of the main drivers was the $TRUMP meme coin, announced the day before Trump took office. Some 220 of the major investors were invited to a subsequent private reception with the president.

Trump’s family also owns a majority stake in World Liberty Financial, a crypto company co-founded with the president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and run by his son Zach. It has its own stablecoin, USD1, and received a major boost when, just before Trump took office, a UAE-linked investment fund acquired a significant stake in it.

An Abu Dhabi state-backed investment firm, MGX, then pledged to use $2 billion worth of $1 to buy a stake in Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange – a move that further strengthened World Liberty Financial.

The Trump brand bonanza Beyond the digital realm, many companies pay to license the president’s name for physical products, from Bibles and guitars and sneakers to watches, perfume and a gold cell phone.

Trump has promoted many such products on social media, particularly during his 2024 campaign, but they have also made high-profile appearances at the White House.

When French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited last summer, Trump showed them a retail space next to the Oval Office, filled with products to sell on his website. A few months later, a video was released showing Trump at the White House dousing Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa with bottles of his cologne and “Victory 47” perfume, which he had given him as a gift.

The president displayed hats emblazoned with “Trump 2028” on the Resolute desk when meeting with congressional Democrats last year. And at a televised Cabinet meeting in May, on every seat was a red hat commemorating America’s 250th birthday.

Each hat sells for $55 on Trump’s website.

A Donald Trump mask is used to sell hats reading “Trump 2028” and “Make America Great Again” on the street next to the Walk of Fame star honoring Donald Trump on Hollywood Blvd., February 12, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, file)

A Donald Trump mask is used to sell hats reading “Trump 2028” and “Make America Great Again” on the street next to the Walk of Fame star honoring Donald Trump on Hollywood Blvd., February 12, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, file)

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The Republican National Committee and various political groups associated with Trump and the GOP have held fundraisers and political events at Mar-a-Lago, as well as at Trump’s property in Bedminster, New Jersey, and at his golf clubs in Doral, Florida, and Sterling, Virginia.

The LIV golf league, controlled by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has held events in Doral. Trump will host the G20 summit there in November.

That means world leaders, support staff, business executives, journalists and others involved will pay the Trump Organization, which purchased Doral in 2012, to attend. The president has already tried to head off criticism of self-dealing around the summit, saying government participants will be charged “at cost” and that “we won’t make any money from this.”

Renovation and construction projects

Qatar gave Trump a $400 million jet that he plans to use as Air Force One and then store in his presidential library after he leaves office. The donation was the subject of significant taxpayer-funded reconstruction and security improvements, which lawmakers say could exceed $1 billion.

Trump has also ordered numerous renovation projects intended to leave his mark on Washington while passing the costs on to taxpayers.

He has long insisted that wealthy donors would pay for the $400 million ballroom for which he demolished the East Wing of the White House — only to seek $1 billion in federal funding for security upgrades that he says the military and Secret Service sought as part of the project.

At least $15 million in public funds will be spent on a ceremonial arch. The National Park Service is also paying $13.1 million to a contractor to complete the Trump-led renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

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