How has Trump become richer since becoming president?
During the first half of 2025, the Trump Organization's revenue increased 17-fold, primarily due to cryptocurrencies.
Barcelona"Donald Trump pocketed $1,408,500,000." That was the headline of the newspaper's editorial. The New York Times On January 20, the first anniversary of the second term of the man who has turned the presidency into an unprecedented business, the newspaper warned that the figure was a conservative estimate, based solely on official data. "No president in the history of the United States has used his position of power to benefit himself as much as Trump," a senior editor added to the magazine. ForbesThe data from the economic magazine was even more lavish: Trump had a fortune of $7.3 billion in September, $3 billion more than the previous year in the same period.
When he became president in 2017, Donald Trump was already the wealthiest person to ever hold the office, thanks to his real estate and media empire. And in this second term, he has continued to expand it: acquiring new real estate properties and leveraging his power through Truth Social. But his biggest leap in wealth has come with the emergence in the cryptocurrency sector.
During the first half of 2025, the revenue of the Trump Organization (whose business group of some 500 companies is solely owned by Donald Trump) increased seventeenfold—skyrocketing to $864 million—compared to $51 million in the same period of the previous year. This is according to Reuters calculations based on official statements, property and financial records, and information on cryptocurrency trading. Of this total, $802 million, more than 90%, came from cryptocurrency companies, the same data indicates.
Real estate, the foundation of the empire
The Trump myth was built on the foundation of his real estate empire. Although it still yields significant returns, it is no longer the primary driver of his fortune's growth, but it does lend him credibility and prestige. He owns properties across the United States valued at $1.2 billion. But since becoming president, He has used his position to expand real estate businesses and sign new contracts, especially in Golf countries.It is no coincidence that days before taking office, his organization eliminated restrictions on doing business with foreign countries, opening the door to direct agreements with allied governments.
The Trump International Oman, for example (a luxury resort valued at $500 million), benefits from an agreement signed with the Omani government in a clear geopolitical conflict of interest. The same is true in Riyadh, where the Trump family and Dar Global closed projects worth $530 million shortly after the election. Within hours of his inauguration, Trump conditioned a future official visit to Saudi Arabia on the purchase of $500 billion worth of American products. On the other hand, the president is known for his golf clubs and resorts, scattered throughout the United States, Europe (he has them in Ireland and Scotland), and the Gulf countries. Forbes values them at $1.3 billion. Since becoming president, he has opened a new course in Aberdeen, Scotland, another in Indonesia, and announced two more in the United Arab Emirates. International licensing has also accelerated considerably: the Trump brand is stronger since he became president. According to the New York TimesThe deals for towers and residences have brought in $23 million, while its golf clubs and resorts have already exceeded $33 million in revenue, just this past year.
One of the figures who has helped him the most to expand the empire is Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and political advisor. Under the Trump brand, he has expanded real estate businesses in Albania and Serbiawhere the respective governments have been accused of changing legislation to facilitate its installation.
Communication: a political asset
The communications sector has become the most atypical and volatile pillar of his wealth. Through the Trump Media & Technology Group conglomerate, the president has managed to transform his political weight into a financial asset that ignores traditional market laws: despite his main network, Truth Social, generating little advertising revenue and incurring net losses exceeding $400 million, the loyalty of his support base remains. The shares have lost more than half their value, but Trump still maintains a multi-billion dollar position exceeding $2 billion.
Furthermore, at the start of his term, Trump and his associates have pocketed $90.5 million in deals with X, ABC, Meta, YouTube, and Paramount, in addition to the $28 million from Amazon, from the documentary dedicated to the first lady, Melania.
The Crypto Empire
All of this is just one piece of the pie of the president's fortune. The biggest source of income is cryptocurrencies. If only four years ago he called Bitcoin a scam, now Trump has discovered its potential for speculation. This largely unregulated area has allowed him to channel donations from members who want preferential treatment from him without having to be accountable.
The profits come from World Liberty Financial, a company founded in 2024 that sells tokens Digital, in which Steve Witkoff, his envoy to the Middle East and chief negotiator with Russia and Ukraine, is also a partner. The Trump family directly pockets 75% of the sales revenue through another entity called DT Marks DEFI LLC. The business earned $57 million by the end of 2024 and another $618 million during the first half of 2025. Of this, Trump reportedly received at least $463 million.
Often the agreements are secret and intended to influence federal policy, which This fuels accusations of conflict of interest. During his presidency, Trump has rolled back regulations and legislated in favor of this industry, in which he himself has direct interests. On his inauguration weekend, the Republican hosted a cryptocurrency gala at the White House—the first of its kind—with members of his cabinet and "high-IQ individuals"; and appointed a "cryptotsar," a newly created position to design a legal framework tailored to the sector.
These assets are in addition to the memecoinTrump unveiled two cryptocurrencies called $Trump and $Melania just before his inauguration and hosted a private dinner to sell them to associates and millionaires, in a move that Democratic Senator Chris Murphy called "the most blatantly corrupt thing a president has ever done." Because they are considered collectibles rather than securities, the memecoins They circumvent stock market regulation and transparency. This facilitates opaque practices and allows presidential influence to become a speculative asset without legal controls.
What is surprising is that Trump's style has broken with the dynamics of his predecessors. While previous White House occupants had been careful to avoid any gesture that suggested a benefit derived from office, the current administration shamelessly embraces the growth of the family fortune: Trump pressures corporations and governments, flaunts gifts, and celebrates his own enrichment. The most paradigmatic case: Trump accepted a luxury Boeing 747, valued at $400 million, from the Qatari royal family.And he has already made it clear that he will not pay her back when he leaves office.
