Trump's Staggering Corruption Is Finally Catching Up to Him

About this episode

Mona interviews Jonathan Chait about the extensive corruption surrounding Trump and its implications for American governance.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Jonathan Chait of The Atlantic joins Mona to discuss the incredible scope and scale of Trump’s corruption—from the $4 billion the Trump family has added to its net worth since January 2025, to the $1.776 billion “weaponization” slush fund, to the dozens of DOJ officials who quit rather than follow corrupt orders. They trace how a century of progressive-era reforms that kept American government relatively clean is being systematically dismantled, and why the mafia-style loyalty-and-punishment logic now governing federal law enforcement is more authoritarian than merely corrupt. Plus: are Senate Republicans finally showing a spine? And is the Democratic Party’s new obsession with monopolies as the root of all evil a winning strategy—or a trap? show notes Read Jonathan’s article on the $1.8 billion slush fund Read Mona’s article on Trump’s corruption Bulwark Book Club : Mona will interview retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling abour his book, If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal. Join the conversation! Drop your questions or comments about the book for Mona to explore with Gen. Hertling here . We’ll…

People in this episode

Host: Mona

Guest: Jonathan Chait

Topics covered

• Trump's corruption
• federal law enforcement
• progressive reforms
• Senate Republicans
• monopolies

Keywords

• Trump
• corruption
• DOJ
• progressive reforms
• Senate Republicans
• monopolies
• law enforcement

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Atlantic, DOJ

Books & works: If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal

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