Sonovabitch Really Said It,. Because It's Obviously True

 

To the victor belong the spoils.

--DJT, yesterday at the UN 

 

Call me old-fashioned. I was an Eisenhower child. He was president during most of my public schooling. His portrait in Army green greeted us everywhere. He was a solid object we kids were naturally disposed to look up to as an example of manly, all-American integrity and service. Because of Ike, I grew up knowing that the presidency is a public trust, not a property right. 

That man at the U.N. was talking about Venezuelan oil, how quickly and slickly he got his hands on it. It was a brag (like everything he says is a brag of some sort). Meanwhile, the spoils are at the eternal expense of the Venezuelans, about whom DJT gives nary a flip. Of course he was going to get the oil. Possibly thought the same thing about Iran. Learned different.

Just look what busy beavers they've been, just since January 2025 (gathered by my assistant):

Crypto. Not just a risky investment but a DJT family business. Cryptocurrency has produced a gigantic personal revenue stream. His 2025 financial disclosure showed roughly $1.4 billion in income from crypto ventures, including almost $800 million from family-owned World Liberty Financial. More than $520 million came from sales of "tokens," digital assets recorded on a blockchain, and more than $250 million from selling interests in the business. 

The Meme Coin. DJT promoted his own meme coin, and purchasers of the coin were subsequently invited to a private dinner with him. The Washington Post described the arrangement as crossing what had traditionally been regarded as an ethical red line because people could effectively spend money on a DJT-associated financial product and obtain access to the president. 

Foreign Real Estate. The Trump Organization reportedly did zero new foreign deals during his first term. But in his second term, it has entered into eight in countries that depend on American goodwill, like for example Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Vietnam, and India. (He's said out loud that he's also got his eye on Gaza, as soon as that landscape can be cleared of what the Israelis did.) DJT's 2025 disclosure showed $38 million in licensing fees from Gulf real-estate projects alone, including about $21.9 million from Saudi developer Dar Al Arkan and $12.5 million from UAE developer Damac. 

Self-Dealing for Junior. Donald Trump Jr.'s venture-capital firm (1789 Capital) took a stake in Vulcan Elements, a startup manufacturer of rare earth magnets located in Durham. The Pentagon subsequently announced a $620 million loan to the company. ProPublica found that a top White House aide, Peter Navarro, had initiated the loan request and that Pentagon officials rushed the deal after being told it was a White House priority. Vulcan's estimated valuation subsequently increased roughly tenfold.

The Access Tax. Trump Media & Technology Group has been developing a service through Truth Social that provides rapid access to Trump's presidential posts—essentially selling speedier access to information emanating from the White House. Information of considerable market value to traders. AP reported that high-speed trading firms are paying $60,000–$100,000 per month for the service. 

And he's still got two years to go. What will be left to spoil?