"He's raking in billions because he's a great businessman"

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/02/us/politics/trump-earnings-maga-reaction.html

MAGA Base Stays Quiet After Trump Reports Billions in Personal Gains
A new mandatory disclosure revealed that the president has earned $2.2 billion during the first year back in the White House.
By Emily Davies
July 2, 2026, 7:11 p.m. ET

President Trump’s $2.2 billion in personal earnings during his presidency has been met largely with silence from his MAGA base, which has been increasingly willing to revolt against policies they view as an abandonment of his promises to put everyday Americans first.

Far-right members of Congress, prominent media pundits and grass-roots activists have criticized Mr. Trump’s war with Iran and openly broken ranks to demand the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. They have accused him of prioritizing his own interests over the needs of the voters who elected him to office.

But few far-right voices aligned with Mr. Trump have criticized him over the scale of his personal haul, reported this week, or the conflict inherent in his status as a major cryptocurrency industry operator and its top policymaker.

Some described his earnings as a validation of the business acumen they have long admired in him.

Kelley Koch, chair of an Iowa group called MAGA Nation, said Mr. Trump’s earnings were proof of his ability to navigate the complicated new frontier of digital finance.

“We live in a free country — capitalism,” Ms. Koch said. “He’s extremely smart. He’s a businessman. My kids follow Bitcoin, Polymarket, Kalshi, all of this new tech stuff. If you don’t, you’re going to be left behind.”

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