*****. “The Trump presidency is about Trump. Period. Full stop. He says so himself all the time.”
[ Pulitzer Prize winner. David Cay Johnston: “It’s Even Worse Than You Think.” ]

Note: This post presents excerpts from “President Is Cashing In On Crypto Investment” [ Ben Protess, Andrea Fuller; New York Times; 6/15/25 ]1]

1]. “Donald J. Trump got a small taste last year of life as a cryptocurrency mogul. His stake in World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency firm…earned about $57 million, making it one of the Trump family’s most lucrative investments in 2024. And a licensing deal involving a related industry, NFT collectibles, produced another $1.2 million.

2]. “Since Mr. Trump took office a second time this year, his crypto fortunes have skyrocketed through a series of business ventures that pose unprecedented conflicts of interest. Not only is Mr. Trump a major operator in the crypto industry, he is also its top policymaker – and a symbol of its rising stature in Washington.”

***** “Everyone asks if a man is rich, no one if he is good.” [ Euripides ]

3] “Even as the president seeks to deregulate and promote the industry, Mr. Trump’s personal net worth has soared through crypto.”

4] “..Mr. Trump developed a personal cryptocurrency known as $TRUMP, a memecoin launched days before his inauguration, that on paper could be worth billions of dollars.”

*** “The difference between a pickpocket and a robber baron is mostly a matter of opportunity.” [ Anonymous ]

5] “Mr. Trump also earned early returns on several new real estate deals, in which he licenses the family name to hotels, golf clubs and other properties around the world. the deals have cropped up in countries that are crucial to American foreign policy interests – Saudi Arabia and Qatar, among them – blurring the lines between his presidency and his personal business.” [note: some have said blurring the lines is an objective]

7] “Last year, Mr. Trump also earned royalties on products that capitalized on his political fame: more than $3 million for his books, $1.3 million for a Trump-endorsed Bible, $2.8 million from “Trump Watches” and $2.5 million from “Trump Sneakers and Fragrances.” A Trump-branded guitar generated more than $1 million in royalties.”

***. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
[ Jesus – Matthew 19:24 ]