John, last month, I testified before members of Congress to discuss how Trump’s corruption is worsening, and Americans are paying the price.

While Americans across the country struggle with the costs of necessities, President Trump is making more money than ever.

That isn’t a coincidence.

Trump has used the power of the presidency to enrich himself, reward wealthy allies and weaken the safeguards designed to hold his administration accountable. The result is a government that increasingly works for those with money, connections and access. Not the people it’s supposed to serve .

I’ll share five ways Trump’s corruption is harming everyday Americans below. When I’m done, I hope you’ll consider donating to support CREW’s fight to hold Trump accountable to the public → [[link removed]]

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Here are five ways Trump’s corruption is harming everyday Americans:

1. Trump handed enormous power to his biggest financial supporter, putting programs Americans depend on at risk.

Trump gave Elon Musk extraordinary power to reshape the federal government through DOGE, including sweeping cuts to federal agencies and programs.

The harms caused by DOGE’s cuts to the civil service were obvious and predictable. The administration’s decisions disrupted government functions that protect Americans, including efforts that experts warned could worsen the Cyclospora outbreak, diminish severe-weather tracking and heighten national security risks.

2. Trump is steering taxpayer money and government business to his own properties.

Trump never divested from his businesses before assuming public office. Therefore, he has the ability to turn official government activity into revenue for his business every time he visits his properties, hosts official events or goes golfing at his resorts.

In his second term, Trump is visiting his properties and golfing at them even more—estimated to cost taxpayers over $100 million. Protecting the president is a necessary use of taxpayer money. But Trump’s decision to spend so much of his presidency at businesses he owns means those security costs can also become revenue for him and his family.

The issue isn’t simply that Trump owns businesses. It’s that he has created 59 businesses since winning the White House in 2024. It’s that he seems more focused on making money for himself than addressing the economic challenges facing American workers and families. It’s that he can— and does —use the presidency to steer government spending and valuable opportunities toward them.

3. Trump is prioritizing wealthy interests over everyone else.

Trump has created a pay-to-play system in which wealthy interests and corporations can seek access, influence and favorable treatment by paying large sums of money toward his priorities.

Before the 2024 election, Trump reportedly asked oil and gas executives to raise $1 billion for his campaign while promising policy actions favorable to their industry. When Trump took office, he delivered. He installed staffers with energy industry ties who delivered win after win for oil and gas companies.

In just the first 100 days of his second term, Trump initiated at least 145 environmental rollbacks. Those policy decisions leave Americans with weaker protections from environmental harms while rewarding the industries that helped finance Trump’s campaign.

This pattern extends far beyond the energy industry. CREW found that 15 companies—including Meta, Amazon, Coinbase, Google/YouTube and more—contributed to three or more of Trump’s pet projects. All 15 companies have business before the government or otherwise want something from Trump.

The list goes on and on, but the bottom line is this: Trump’s approach gives wealthy interests a direct advantage while leaving everyone else with less influence over the government that is supposed to represent them.

4. Trump’s financial interests are colliding with policies that affect Americans.

Trump continues to maintain extensive business interests while making decisions that affect everything from trade and technology to financial regulation and national security.

Take Trump’s private prison investments, for example. Since returning to office, his brokers have made 29 trades in GEO Group and CoreCivic, companies that have benefited from his administration’s immigration policies. These groups have profited greatly, while 2026 has become the deadliest year ever for people detained in ICE custody.

Trump’s business interests abroad raise similar concerns. Dubai-based real estate company DAMAC Properties paid Trump $12.5 million during his first year back in office, while another arm of the company, DAMAC Digital, sought to build data centers in the United States, supported by favorable Trump administration policy that’s likely to lead to higher utility costs for Americans who live near the data centers.

And the conflicts extend to national security. Trump’s sons are potentially making millions by investing in companies that make drones, while the president’s war in Iran has harmed the economy and increased gas prices across the country.

Americans should never have to wonder whether a presidential decision was made because it serves the national interest or because it could benefit the president financially.

5. Trump is enabling fraudsters and wiping out restitution for victims.

Trump’s use of the pardon power—and gutting of white-collar criminal enforcement—have demonstrated that political connections and loyalty can help wealthy people escape the consequences of their crimes.

A 2026 analysis found that Trump’s pardons, including dozens of white-collar criminals, erased $2 billion in restitution payments and fines owed to victims and American taxpayers.

One example of this is Trump’s pardon of Nikola founder Trevor Milton. Milton was sentenced to four years in prison for defrauding investors, and prosecutors argued that he should pay more than $660 million in restitution.

Crimes like this have real victims. Defrauded investors can lose their savings, workers can go unpaid and small businesses can be left with bills they cannot collect.

The problem goes beyond Trump’s pardons. In the first six months of his administration, the DOJ declined more than 23,000 criminal cases, including more than 900 cases involving federal program or procurement fraud. ProPublica found that roughly three times as many major fraud cases were declined under Trump compared to the average of comparable periods under prior administrations.

When wealthy or politically connected people can avoid accountability—and the government becomes less willing to pursue financial crimes—everyone else becomes more vulnerable to being cheated.

John, as you can see, the consequences of Trump’s corruption go far beyond any single business deal, pardon, or policy decision. When a president uses presidential power for private gain, the damage reaches everyone.

The government is supposed to work for the public. That’s exactly what we’re fighting for at CREW. We’re taking action to hold the president accountable and ensure he’s putting the American people first—not his bottom line. Help us keep up the fight by chipping in now → [[link removed]]

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Thank you,

Donald Sherman

President

CREW
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