Conflicts of Interest Abound
You have probably heard and read about all the products/investments/deals with foreign governments, etc. that President Donald Trump has become involved in albeit through his two sons—Donald Jr. and Eric. They represent the Trump Organization in all such deals. By not becoming involved directly, President Trump is able to say that what’s being done is legal. Even if it is legal, and that remains to be seen, it’s certainly not ethical. At a minimum, there are conflicts of interest because the individuals, companies, and foreign governments may do business with Trump directly or through his administration. The problem is one of appearances.
There needs to be a firewall between Trump’s private business interests and his official duties. According to govfacts.org, “the 2025 administration has been defined by the conspicuous integration of federal power, personal branding, and private profit.”
I have previously blogged about President Trump being bound and determined to make America in his image. In the past year-and-a-half, he has sought to put the Trump name on a variety of personalized products. Here are a few just in the clothing space: t-shirts, polos, outerwear, sweatshirts, bottoms, accessories, and footwear. Some of the clothing have the emblem featuring the Trump brand logo or the Mar-a-Lago crest.
The commercialization of his presidency is alarming. How could Congress allow this to happen. At a minimum, there should be an ethics investigation. To my knowledge, there haven’t been any other presidents who traded on their names while in office.
According to Karissa Waddick, writing for USA Today, the Trump Organization, managed by Trump’s two sons, began selling “Trump 250” merchandise linked to the U.S.’s 250th anniversary, which prompted ethics groups to warn that the president may be profiting from a national commemoration. Trump’s sons are also selling blankets, mugs, tote bags and T-shirts with the phrase “Trump 250. If you are interested, you can get a $38 water bottle, up to a $200 airplane blanket, with the exclusive Trump 250 logo. Ethics groups point to the for-sale items as part of a growing list of evidence that suggests Trump is “hijacking bipartisan plans” for the America 250 celebration.
Then there are a variety of Crypto deals that has led to labeling Trump’s administration as, “The Crypto Empire.” This has been his key financial strategy during his second term. Activities in the digital asset economy are particularly troublesome because it is an area where there is a lot to learn so oversight might be sketchy at best.
Last June it was disclosed that Trump made $57.4 million from a crypto company he partially owns—World Liberty Financial. According to govfacts.org, “World Liberty Financial operates as a DeFi protocol, a system of smart contracts on the blockchain that facilitates financial transactions without intermediaries. The protocol’s economic engine is the $WLFI governance token.” If you don’t understand what this means, you have a lot of company—and that’s part of the problem.
There’s also the $TRUMP Meme Coin, which represents the pure monetization of political celebrity and market volatility. The $TRUMP meme coin is a cryptocurrency associated with Donald Trump. Launched on January 17, 2025, it is hosted on the Solana blockchain and has a total supply of 1 billion coins, with 200 million available to the public at launch. And then there is the Gold Card.
Back in July 2025, Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, a historic piece of legislation that will pave the way for the U.S. to lead the global digital currency revolution by prioritizing consumer protection strengthening the U.S. dollar’s reserve currency status and supporting national security.
Trump has also been involved with some foreign governments, which include the following:
- In April 2025, the Trump Organization announced a partnership to develop the Trump International Golf Club, Doha, as part of a $5.5 billion luxury lifestyle project in Simaisma, Qatar.
- In May 2025, the Qatari government offered a luxury jumbo jet, dubbed the “Flying Palace,” to the President. It was framed as a gift to the U.S government, but it’s timing was curious given that the Trump Organization also signed a massive private business deal. However, this triggered a Congressional investigation leading to Senate Resolution 244 to withhold consent for the acceptance of the plane, citing the Foreign Emoluments Clause.
- In May 2025, Trump visited Saudi Arabia securing over $600 billion in investment commitments for American industries. However, this is nothing more than an example of pay to play. The Trump Organization deepened his ties with the Saudi’s by entering into a partnership with Dar Global, the international arm of the Saudi developer Dar Al Arkan. These projects integrated the Trump brand into the Kingdom’s “Vision 230” economic diversification strategy, effectively linking Trump’s personal wealth to the success of the Saudi Crown Prince’s domestic agenda.
- There are ties to other governments that help fund golf courses that are in Trump’s name such as the Trump National Doral (Miami). This resort hosts the LIV Golf tournaments backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, reporting revenue exceeding $160 million.
Trump Library
Just a week ago, President Trump unveiled a first look at the plans for his presidential library in a video made using AI that he posted on social media. The video showed plans for the future Trump Presidential Library and Museum that’s expected to be in Miami, Florida. The video depicts the library and museum as a towering building on the city’s waterfront, a location announced by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last September. According to the video, the multi-story tower will bear the “TRUMP” logo that is similar to what’s used on the president’s other properties.
The video rendering also appears to show a West Wing-like colonnade within the building, an auditorium, a massive ballroom that looks quite similar to the plans for the ballroom that Trump is building to replace the East Wing of the White House.
It also showed what appears to be a replica of the Oval Office, including the updated decor that the president has added to the historic room. The video also shows a large amphitheater space with a big, gold statue of Trump.
Ethical Issues
The primary ethical issue is a conflict of interest that exists in many of Trump’s deals. While they are run through the Trump Organization, you would have to be naïve to believe that it doesn’t mean Donald Trump is involved or the beneficiary. Experts and lawmakers have criticized these business activities as unpresidential and potentially compromising to national interests.
The problem with these transactions is they smack of self-dealing. It’s hard to imagine that they wouldn’t affect how Trump deals with the other party especially if there is a conflict born of the arrangement with the Trump Organization and Trump’s presidency. Specific deals, such as the $500 million investment from a member of the Emirati royal family, have led to accusations of corruption.
The conflict-of-interest issue could arise if Trump thought one of the investors, or someone else who provided him with assets or money, did something wrong. Would the fact that they invested in the Trump Organization color how Trump handles the situation? Even if it did not, the point is the perception is that it might, and that’s enough to raise the red flag.
The bottom line is these arrangements do not pass the smell test.
Blog posted on April 10, 2026, by Steven Mintz, Ph. D, professor emeritus from Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo.