They say Trump made $2.8B off the presidency and Watergate looks broke

$2.8 billion-plus. That’s the number a watchdog roundup says Donald Trump pulled out of the presidency in 2025 like it was a monetized livestream and we were all the NPCs tossing coins.

Not “influence,” not “access,” not “branding.” Actual money. Hotels, clubs, licensing, crypto, favors—whatever fits in a suitcase and doesn’t squeak on the way to the bank.

The Brennan Center roundup basically argues Trump turned the presidency into a pay-to-play Costco sample line, except the samples are federal policy and the people handing them out are donors with yacht money.

And if you’re thinking “isn’t this like Watergate?” sure, in the way a pocketknife is like a tank. Watergate was dudes in cheap suits doing a burglary. This is alleged presidential monetization measured in billions, with enough zeroes to make Nixon sit up in hell and ask for a calculator.

Meanwhile, you’re price-checking eggs like they’re Rolexes, your rent is doing CrossFit, and Congress is pretending this is all just “politics as usual.”