Trump’s net worth jumps 60% in office — and historians say the damage could outlast his term

TLDR:

• President Trump’s net worth has surged 60% since returning to the White House, climbing to an estimated $6.3 billion
• His sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr. have inked eight overseas real estate deals and taken stakes in a drone company seeking Pentagon contracts
• A UAE-linked company paid $500 million for nearly half of the family’s crypto business days before Trump’s inauguration
• Presidential historians warn Trump is teaching future presidents there is “no price to be paid” for self-enrichment in office

No president in modern history has profited from the Oval Office quite like Donald Trump — and historians say the damage may outlast his term.

Mr. Trump’s net worth has surged 60% since he returned to the White House, climbing to an estimated $6.3 billion, according to Forbes. His sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., have signed eight overseas real estate deals in just over a year — compared to zero during the first term — while also taking ownership stakes in an armed drone company seeking Pentagon contracts.

Days before the inauguration, a UAE government-linked firm paid $500 million for nearly half of the family’s World Liberty Financial crypto venture. Shortly after, the Trump administration reversed a Biden-era restriction and granted the UAE access to advanced U.S. chips.

The White House says Mr. Trump acts in an “ethically sound manner” and that his assets are managed in a trust run by his children.

But Princeton historian Julian Zelizer isn’t buying it.

“I don’t think there’s any line right now between policy decisions and political calculations and the interest of the Trump family,” Mr. Zelizer said.

Columbia University historian Timothy Naftali puts the long-term stakes bluntly: “Do you want future presidents to be open to the highest bidder?”

Read more:

• Trump family deal spree could open door for future presidents to profit from office