Trump’s $2.2 Billion Presidency: The Corruption the Constitution Saw Coming
About this episode
The episode discusses Trump's financial dealings during his presidency and the implications for constitutional law regarding corruption and the Emoluments Clauses.
Trump’s latest financial disclosure points to something far bigger than another ethics scandal: a presidency being used as a vehicle for private financial gain. From crypto windfalls and foreign-linked deals to branding revenue, settlements, and the continued monetization of political power, the numbers raise a constitutional question hiding in plain sight: what happens when the Emoluments Clauses are not enough? Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down the corruption story behind Trump’s reported $2.2 billion haul, why the Constitution contains two Emoluments Clauses, and why those protections remain dangerously underdeveloped because Congress has never clearly codified them into modern criminal law. Corey argues that using public office for private gain must be treated as a central abuse of presidential power — and that making anti-corruption reform a campaign issue is essential to restoring the rule of law. Then they turn to the FBI’s reported new push into Georgia 2020 election matters, the Supreme Court’s major ruling on transgender athletes, the Supreme Court’s refusal to disturb the E. Jean Carroll verdict, and the extraordinary NPR correction involving Justice…
More episodes of The Oath and The Office
- Trump Targets the Press—and Spies on Americans (with Sen. Ron Wyden)
- Trump Loses Birthright, Wins a Power Grab (with Joyce Vance)
- Trump’s DOJ Is Hiding the Epstein Files. Katie Phang Is Suing.
- Trump’s War on Habeas Corpus and DOJ Independence — with Harry Litman
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