{"id":5041,"date":"2026-07-04T01:39:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T01:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/07\/04\/americans-disgusted-at-trump-earning-1bn-from-crypto-as-president-obviously-a-grift\/"},"modified":"2026-07-04T01:39:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T01:39:38","slug":"americans-disgusted-at-trump-earning-1bn-from-crypto-as-president-obviously-a-grift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=5041","title":{"rendered":"Americans disgusted at Trump earning $1bn from crypto as president: \u2018Obviously a grift\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-14sl0e4\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"eb019b74-aea7-43f1-9362-8557ecf9fe86\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a man in a suit and tie at a podium\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/ae420ed431e89ab2e71d8147398cade114fc962f\/166_0_1833_1467\/master\/1833.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"372.152209492635\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Donald Trump at the Bitcoin 2024 event in Nashville, Tennessee on 27 July 2024.<\/span> Photograph: Kevin Wurm\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"eb019b74-aea7-43f1-9362-8557ecf9fe86\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Donald Trump at the Bitcoin 2024 event in Nashville, Tennessee on 27 July 2024.<\/span> Photograph: Kevin Wurm\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">Americans disgusted at Trump earning $1bn from crypto as president: \u2018Obviously a grift\u2019 <\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1xpojbf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1kvrm3n\">\n<p>Hundreds of Guardian readers expressed concerns over greed in the White House and a billionaire president unconcerned with high gas and grocery prices<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Donald Trump<\/a> has earned more than $1bn from his crypto businesses since returning to the White House, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/01\/crypto-ventures-stock-key-takeaways-trump-financial-disclosures\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">according to<\/a> recent financial disclosures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Amid questions of conflict of interest, more than 400 Americans expressed feelings of outrage, disgust and despair at their president. They answered a Guardian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/01\/trump-earnings-second-term-callout\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">call for their views on Trump\u2019s fortune<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">According to a 927-page document released on Tuesday by the US Office of Government Ethics, in all, the US president<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/01\/trump-accused-one-billion-dollars-crypto-venture\" data-link-name=\"in body link\"> made<\/a> more than $2.2bn last year. He<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/01\/trump-earnings-as-president\" data-link-name=\"in body link\"> benefited<\/a> from a vast global network of investments and businesses that range from real estate and golf courses to royalty deals and Trump-branded products such as cologne. He also took tens of millions of dollars in court settlements.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">In his second term, the president and his family have invested heavily in digital money and crypto businesses, with Trump announcing at the start of last year that he wanted the US to be the \u201ccrypto capital of the world\u201d. He has received about $1.1bn from his World Liberty Financial and CIC Digital LLC businesses, which sell \u201cgovernance tokens\u201d and souvenir-type \u201cmemecoins\u201d stamped with his face. Critics accuse him of selling access to the presidency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, said: \u201cNeither the president nor his family has ever engaged \u2013 or will ever engage \u2013 in conflicts of interest.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Asked about the earnings on CNBC, Trump brushed off the concerns: \u201cI\u2019ve always made money. I\u2019m a business person. I\u2019m a really good business person.\u201d He said his son Eric handles his business matters and: \u201cI don\u2019t talk to him about things such as this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Gregg Savajian, a 72-year-old veteran living in Washington state, saw it a different way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cIt\u2019s an insult to working-class Americans, obviously a grift,\u201d he said, adding that he was \u201cterrified of our future\u201d as a country.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"43c1356c-f2de-47e5-9e22-a0c5bacf79bf\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"two smiling people in glasses\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/06aefe479aebc95302e8860a1d22df8cec8598f4\/425_1218_1891_1513\/master\/1891.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"356.04706504494976\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"43c1356c-f2de-47e5-9e22-a0c5bacf79bf\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Gregg Savajian, a 72-year-old veteran living in Washington state.<\/span> Photograph: supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The Guardian asked people in the US for their views on the multi-billion-dollar expansion of Trump\u2019s fortune while in office. More than 400 responded to express concerns of corruption and greed in the White House. They contrasted Trump\u2019s billions with everyday Americans\u2019 struggles as inflation and the cost of living continue to rise.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cTrump cares about two things, and two things only: himself and money,\u201d said Kathe Rhoades, a retired technical writer in Arlington, Massachusetts. \u201cWhy the US apparently has no laws against the president, and his family, raking in millions of dollars through questionable dealings at home and abroad is utterly beyond me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Brad Windsor, a 70-year-old retired firefighter in Ojai, California who registered as an independent voter, was likewise concerned about a lack of guardrails against Trump\u2019s business dealings while in office.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThis is blatant corruption, as are many of his other business dealings and stock trades. Congress should act to male it illegal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Daniel Oberhauser, a 47-year-old government worker in Saint Paul, Minnesota, said Trump\u2019s ballooning fortune was \u201cdepressing and exhausting\u201d. Oberhauser said he felt a squeeze from rising costs, even as a self-described member of the middle class.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cI\u2019m one of the lucky ones, and I\u2019m still counting pennies while my president is earning billions while stomping on the backs of Americans,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Jay Deshpande, a 22-year-old Indian-American man, felt dispirited as a student looking for work when he learned that Trump had made more than two billion dollars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cHis earnings are ridiculously high, and speaks to the level of corruption and greed that defines Trump\u2019s presidency. For a man who promised to be with the people, he has proven time and time again that he is only in it for himself and his robber baron friends,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Mark Boettcher, a 60-year-old pediatrician in Janesville, Wisconsin, said frustration over the Trump administration\u2019s actions and \u201cthe US health system, insurance failures, vaccination resistance\u201d had led him to retire early. He found the contrast between Trump\u2019s extreme wealth and many Americans\u2019 difficulty affording healthcare to be \u201cobscene\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cIt is an embarrassment that our system allows such corruption and wealth to be exploited by the top 1%, upon the backs of children who are not receiving proper education and healthcare,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.NewsletterSignupBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\"><a data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" href=\"#EmailSignup-skip-link-19\" class=\"dcr-76akua\">skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1tr4stg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-12qa5gp\">\n<hr class=\"dcr-1cjdlyj\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"EmailSignup-skip-link-19\" aria-label=\"after newsletter promotion\" role=\"note\" class=\"dcr-76akua\">after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure id=\"95bd0f5d-5835-4908-8508-0c6242897c4e\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-3\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a man smiling in glasses\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/9cb6f89292264964b7e325afdd70d8b9d1d9cb89\/0_791_2316_1853\/master\/2316.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"356.03842832469775\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-3\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"95bd0f5d-5835-4908-8508-0c6242897c4e\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Mark Boettcher, 60, in Janesville, Wisconsin.<\/span> Photograph: supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Andrea Jacoby Brandy, a 67-year-old mother of three and grandmother of five in Perrysburg, Ohio, described Trump as \u201cgreedy and cruel\u201d for raking in billions while cutting healthcare with his \u201cbig beautiful bill\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cThe idea that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Donald Trump<\/a> is making a profit off the government he oversees is disgusting,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Millie, a substitute teacher in Colorado, saw Trump\u2019s in-office business dealings as befitting of the \u201cbillionaire caste\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cLike other members of his caste, he\u2019s utterly unconcerned with affordability or the financial situations of those who elected him,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re not getting the government we want, but the one we deserve, as Mr Trump does what his caste does \u2013 take.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"370acea0-a747-48ae-a169-5cf4fdc027ff\" data-spacefinder-role=\"thumbnail\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-qsywgu\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a woman in glasses and a hat\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/ad2f379708caa1b122213b607c5ada801e185422\/0_183_424_339\/master\/424.jpg?width=120&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"120\" height=\"95.9433962264151\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Millie, a substitute teacher in Colorado.<\/span> Photograph: supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Linda Stuart, a 73-year-old retired science educator in Texas, said she was concerned whether American democracy could survive the growing divide between haves and have-nots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cAs we struggle to pay our bills, buy our gas, afford our rent, search desperately for insurance we can afford, and worry constantly about whether we\u2019ll get social security or not, it is sickening and disgusting at how Trump and his family are lining their pockets,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Laurie Rivera, a librarian in New Mexico, worried that weakened democratic institutions would hurt her children\u2019s future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cI am concerned that my children are inheriting a compromised democracy, and this sends a very distressing image of humanity to their children,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"83be49fc-9f97-4251-8c46-73716e4d372c\" data-spacefinder-role=\"thumbnail\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-qsywgu\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Laurie Rivera, a librarian in New Mexico\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/e815e42a81f4cf505703e2365c90755f914a2419\/139_167_387_422\/master\/387.jpg?width=120&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"120\" height=\"130.85271317829458\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Laurie Rivera, a librarian in New Mexico<\/span> Photograph: Supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Elise, a 21-year-old medicine student and self-described \u201cfarm girl\u201d in Nebraska, said the high gas and grocery prices of Trump\u2019s president as well as cuts to rural healthcare had significantly disadvantaged her family, who all voted for Trump. She said her father and brother suffered from lack of access after an accident and a psychotic episode. Amid her family\u2019s struggle, she said Trump\u2019s profits left a bitter taste in her mouth.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"b724797e-3ef1-4b93-818b-7c4e5c844f79\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-4\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a person in braids and sunglasses\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/cec621e998288609536b36feba040eb6fe79bb0a\/21_570_2103_1682\/master\/2103.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"355.91535901093675\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-4\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"b724797e-3ef1-4b93-818b-7c4e5c844f79\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Elise, a 21-year-old medicine student and self-described \u2018farm girl\u2019 in Nebraska.<\/span> Photograph: supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWe are not doing well. We are so much worse than we were before Trump\u2019s presidency. Meanwhile, this absolutely abhorrent maelstrom of a man is profiting from his position. From our pain. He doesn\u2019t care about the lack of doctors in Nebraska or rural folks having difficulties affording gasoline or food. He does not care about us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-politics\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/technology\/cryptocurrencies\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Cryptocurrencies<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/tone\/features\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">features<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Americans%20disgusted%20at%20Trump%20earning%20%241bn%20from%20crypto%20as%20president:%20%E2%80%98Obviously%20a%20grift%E2%80%99%20&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/03\/americans-disgusted-trump-crypto?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fjul%2F03%2Famericans-disgusted-trump-crypto&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/jul\/03\/americans-disgusted-trump-crypto\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-axwinp\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Donald Trump at the Bitcoin 2024 event in Nashville, Tennessee on 27 July 2024. Photograph: Kevin Wurm\/Reuters View<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5043,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5041"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5041\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}