Every time Donald Trump makes a nonsensical statement, I find myself wishing I had a dollar for it; I would be quite wealthy. However, even with such a steady income stream, I could never match the financial status of the president himself. As of March, Forbes estimated his net worth to be approximately $6.5 billion, and it appears to be increasing swiftly. In 2025 alone, Trump reportedly earned $2.2 billion from various business ventures, which included activities like selling cryptocurrency, Trump-branded Bibles, and providing early access to his influential posts on Truth Social.
It is important to note, however, that Trump is not accumulating this wealth merely for personal indulgences like golf clubs or extravagant decor. He claims to be doing it for the benefit of the average citizen, portraying his actions as charitable rather than greedy. In a recent post on Truth Social, he declared, “I do this for our Country, not myself,” sharing an AI-generated image of him engaging in stock trading. He asserted, “I’ve made Hundreds of Billions of Dollars on Stocks, and many other holdings, for the U.S.A., not myself, and all I do is get criticized by the Radical Left Dumocrats. Very unfair, but what can you do!”
There are certainly some suggestions I could offer to the president, but I cannot share most of them here. Furthermore, I find it puzzling that Trump claims to have generated hundreds of billions in profit, a statement likely stemming from his tendency to exaggerate. His comments seem to reference the U.S. government’s acquisition of a 9.9% stake in Intel last year, valued at $8.9 billion at that time, which has since appreciated significantly.
The Trump administration has framed this development as beneficial for the public. In May, the White House announced that Intel’s rising stock prices represented “a direct windfall for American taxpayers.” Oddly enough, I have yet to see any benefit from this supposed windfall; instead, I feel the burden of rising costs for essentials like electricity and groceries.
Despite these challenges, perhaps I should appreciate that our president is managing both his official responsibilities and stock trading for the nation’s benefit. According to his latest disclosure, Trump executed over 1,000 equity trades in June, with many of his investments performing remarkably well. A report released in August by Democratic members of Congress noted that Trump’s investments in oil and gas had increased by nearly $16 million due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. The report highlighted the unusual nature of a sitting president engaging in stock trading, particularly in a context where Trump’s policies have positively influenced the oil sector.
While Trump’s lack of shame in these dealings is notable, he is not alone among politicians facing potential conflicts of interest related to stock market activities. A 2022 investigation by the New York Times revealed that from 2019 to 2021, 97 lawmakers or their family members traded assets in sectors directly impacted by their legislative roles. For instance, in 2020, the spouse of retired Congressman Alan Lowenthal sold her Boeing shares just before a House committee, on which Lowenthal served, issued a critical report about the company. Lowenthal insisted that he had no involvement in the trade, suggesting it was merely coincidental.
Such coincidences do little to inspire trust in the government. A significant majority of Americans advocate for sensible regulations to prohibit lawmakers and their families from trading individual stocks. After considerable pushback, a bill aimed at this issue is currently making its way through Congress, although it does not apply to the president or vice president.
While wealth cannot guarantee everything, it is evident that while Trump’s investment portfolio flourishes, his public approval is waning. A recent Financial Times poll indicated that his approval rating has dropped to an all-time low, with just 33% of registered voters expressing approval of his performance.
However, this decline should not be interpreted as a sign of the nation gaining clarity or that Republican supporters are recognizing the detrimental impact of Trump’s policies; the same poll revealed that 72% of Republicans still support him. Although this figure has dipped from 82% in May, it still represents a substantial contingent. It raises the question of whether these loyal supporters are simply misguided or benefiting from the Intel-related financial gains that I seem to be bypassing.
Arwa Mahdawi is a columnist for The Guardian.
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