Trump’s White House Has Been A Money-Making Machine

Although Donald Trump handed over control of his businesses to his sons, the president still collects on their profits. Here’s how Trump’s White House is a money-making machine. In their recent financial disclosure forms, Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner reported more than $500 million in income. That income came from their hotels, golf courses, clubs and merchandise sales. It came from long-established businesses and newly formed ones. No modern president has profited this way during his time in office. Predecessors like Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush put their assets in blind trusts to avoid conflicts between their financial interests and the public interest. Trump did not. He announced in January 2017 that he would step away from his businesses by putting his sons Donald Jr. and Eric in charge of them. But he stepped away only from their management, not their profits. As president, Trump has promoted those businesses with hi