Trump Corruption Archives

Seer Without Peer

August 28, 2026September 10, 2026 Buck Banks

Donald Trump Jr. fancies himself a bit of a bon vivant,
And since he took over 1789 Capital, the firm’s gone buoyant.
Its assets swelled from $200 million,
In just a few months to over $3 billion,
An arc that lawmakers say ain’t just savvy, it’s clairvoyant.

Trump Is Reaching New Heights (Depths?) of Corruption

May 16, 2026 Buck Banks

“This administration is dripping with corruption from top to bottom, but rushing a settlement to steal $1.7 billion taxpayer dollars for a slush fund before a judge can toss your junk lawsuit would be among the most corrupt acts in American political history. This lawsuit has never been anything more than a shakedown of the American people by a crook president and his crook lawyers.”

— Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), quoted by CNBC, on the reported settlement proposal the Justice Department has with President Trump for his lawsuit against the IRS.

Trump Has Made at Least $3.4 Billion Off Presidency in First Six Months

August 12, 2025 Buck Banks

$3.4 billion

David Kirkpatrick attempts an honest accounting of the Trump family’s profits from two presidencies — and conservatively estimates the sum to be $3.4 billion. “By the time I finished adding up the Trump family’s profits, I was almost inured to it all.”

Signs of a Dying Republic

May 12, 2025 Buck Banks

“The Trump Administration is drowning in corruption — and few Americans seem to care. It’s another sign of a dying Republic.”

— Professor Larry Sabato, quoted by Blue Virginia.

Big Donations Buy Big Jobs in the Trump Administration

December 16, 2024 Buck Banks

~36

“Nearly three dozen of President-elect Donald Trump’s picks to serve in his incoming administration donated to his campaign or to the deep-pocketed outside groups that worked to elect him,” CNN reports.

Their Lips are Moving Again

May 19, 2020May 19, 2020 Trish

While denying he was using it but saying he’d be willing to, Vice President Mike Pence committed some other lies today about hydroxychloroquine sulfate, the drug Trump claims he is taking to prevent COVID-19.

Asked during the Fox interview if he had concerns about the message Trump’s use of the drug sends, Pence noted that the FDA approved the off-label use of the drug so physicians could prescribe it if they deemed it appropriate.

Yeah, no.

First of all, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t “approve” drugs for off-label use. That’s an oxymoron. Here’s the FDA’s own explainer on the subject:

When you are prescribed a drug for its approved use, you can be sure:

That FDA has conducted a careful evaluation of its benefits and risks for that use.

The decision to use the drug is supported by strong scientific data.

There is approved drug labeling for healthcare providers on how to use the drug safely and effectively for that use…

If you and your healthcare provider decide to use an approved drug for an unapproved use to treat your disease or medical condition, remember that FDA has not determined that the drug is safe and effective for the unapproved use.

Keep reading. […]

More than Half Think Trump Did Something Wrong in Ukraine

January 30, 2020 Buck Banks

53%

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds 53% of Americans said they are “increasingly convinced” that President Trump committed some wrongdoing in his dealing with Ukraine, while 34% said they are increasingly convinced of the president’s innocence.

Trump’s Corruption and Criminality Coming to the Fore

November 18, 2019 Buck Banks

“From the perspective of President Trump’s frustrated critics, the attempts to subject him to legal accountability have amounted to a long string of failures. Robert Mueller failed to produce a clear indictment of his dealings with Russia, and impeachment appears headed toward a partisan stalemate that will leave him in office. … But as Trump’s constant boil of rage attests, those efforts have hardly failed. The legal ring surrounding him is collectively producing a historic indictment of his endemic corruption and criminality.”

— Jonathan Chait

Federal Health Department Contract Funneled Money to Trump Allies

November 12, 2019 Buck Banks

8

“At least eight former White House, presidential transition and campaign officials for President Donald Trump were hired as outside contractors to the federal health department at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year,” Politico reports. “They were among at least 40 consultants who worked on a one-year, $2.25 million contract directed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma. The contractors were hired to burnish Verma’s personal brand and provide ‘strategic communications’ support.”

TRump Brother’s Company Awarded $33 Million Government Contract

October 28, 2019 Buck Banks

$33 million

“A company in which President Trump’s brother has a financial stake received a $33 million contract from the U.S. Marshals Service earlier this year, an award that has drawn protests from two other bidders, one of which has filed a complaint alleging possible favoritism in the bidding process,” the Washington Post reports.

— Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), quoted by CNBC, on the reported settlement proposal the Justice Department has with President Trump for his lawsuit against the IRS.

$3.4 billion

David Kirkpatrick attempts an honest accounting of the Trump family’s profits from two presidencies — and conservatively estimates the sum to be $3.4 billion. “By the time I finished adding up the Trump family’s profits, I was almost inured to it all.”

“The Trump Administration is drowning in corruption — and few Americans seem to care. It’s another sign of a dying Republic.”

— Professor Larry Sabato, quoted by Blue Virginia.

~36

“Nearly three dozen of President-elect Donald Trump’s picks to serve in his incoming administration donated to his campaign or to the deep-pocketed outside groups that worked to elect him,” CNN reports.

53%

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds 53% of Americans said they are “increasingly convinced” that President Trump committed some wrongdoing in his dealing with Ukraine, while 34% said they are increasingly convinced of the president’s innocence.

— Jonathan Chait

8

$33 million

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“The man is afraid of the voice of the people and that the people understand and know what he’s doing. He’s trying to stifle the ability of journalists to let the people of America know what’s really going on with their government.”

— “Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House ‘absolutely abhorrent,’” The Wrap reports.

“Not one of them is trained in technical skills. Not one research PhD, as opposed to China, where half the cabinet is science and technology PhDs. We’re led by grifters and fools.”

— Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs, on X, on President Trump’s 35-person cabinet.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far… The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

— Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), breaking with President Trump in a direct-to-camera video.

Numerati

1,000

10%

“The unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House has changed the congressional districts for one-tenth of Americans and significantly altered the makeup of at least one-fifth of districts, according to a new study,” the Associated Press reports.

71%

$9.5 billion

“The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog,” CNN reports.

470

Reuters has documented at least 470 targets of retribution under Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets. The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.