(SeaPRwire) – By: Julian Holbrooke
The idea that a sitting president is legally enriched by the office he holds is not a new concept in history, but it is a structural break in modern American norms. The AP-NORC poll confirms what many have whispered for years. Most Americans see Donald Trump profiting off his presidency. They view it as either illegal or profoundly unethical. This is no longer a partisan debate. It is a baseline reality of political trust. The numbers are stark. Four in ten respondents believe his actions are illegal. Another 18 percent see them as unethical. The public perceives a direct conflict between national duty and personal gain.
The data reveals a disconnect between the White House narrative and the public ledger. Official accounts suggest a President who sacrificed wealth for public service. Markwayne Mullin claimed it cost Trump to be in office. Yet, the 927-page financial disclosure tells a different story. Trump’s total reported revenue for 2025 was $2.2 billion. This is a massive jump from the $622 million reported in 2024. The spike is driven largely by crypto ventures. A business tied to the UAE royal family invested half a billion dollars into his projects. World Liberty Financial token sales alone yielded over $550 million. This is not a side hustle. It is a primary revenue stream.
Geopolitical interests are now braided directly into the family balance sheet. The Trump Organization has expanded real estate and licensing deals in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are key partners in these transactions. These deals garnered around $14 million recently. This matters because these nations are central to U.S. foreign policy, especially amid the war with Iran. Raymond La Raja from UMass Amherst calls it a structural conflict of interest. Foreign entities are incentivized to invest in the family’s projects because of the policies the President regulates. This creates a feedback loop where diplomatic leverage translates into private capital.
The economic backdrop is souring public tolerance for this arrangement. Inflation is up. Consumer prices rose 3.4 percent in August. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York estimates tariffs added 2.9 percentage points to inflation by February 2026. The war with Iran has driven up fuel prices. Voters are feeling the pinch. When the economy booms, corruption is tolerated. When it stagnates, it becomes a focal point of anger. Just 28 percent of respondents approve of Trump’s handling of jobs and the economy. This dissatisfaction is not just about policy. It is about the appearance of self-enrichment while citizens struggle with rising costs.
This dynamic sets the stage for the upcoming midterm elections. The AP-NORC poll was released less than a month before the vote. Dissatisfaction with the President’s ethics will likely spill over to down-ballot candidates. Brandon Rottinghaus at the University of Houston notes that presidential approval acts as a political anchor. Even popular Republicans will struggle to separate themselves from the perception that the office is being used for profit. The 54 percent of respondents who said it is definitely corrupt for an official to use their office for family financial gain, even if legal, show a shifting moral line.
The legacy of this presidency may extend beyond the term limits. Representatives have proposed a retreat for future presidents on land beside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The private club would pay for lodging and provide free government access. The family business would continue operating the adjoining golf course. This proposal turns a political asset into a permanent commercial entity. It suggests that the business model of the presidency has survived the administration. The election outcome will determine if the public accepts this new normal or forces a reckoning.
Author bio: Julian Holbrooke, an overseas international relations analyst who frequently contributes to major European daily newspapers.