U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks with reporters before boarding the new Air Force One, a plane gifted by the Qatari government, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 1, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump admitted he is "profiting" when a reporter accused him of "profiting off the presidency."
The exchange came after Trump's latest financial disclosure showed he earned more than $2.2 billion in 2025 — his first year back in office — including more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency income alone, NBC News reported.
"What message does this send to average Americans, especially those who may be struggling right now financially?" a reporter asked.
"I don't get involved," Trump said.
"But you are benefiting," the reporter pressed.
"I don't talk to them. They're big institutions, and they run it. But, yeah, I've had a great career in business. I've had a great career," Trump replied.
"Concerns about conflict of interest?" the reporter followed up.
Trump brushed it off, saying he uses a "blind account" — a setup where a third party manages your money so you don't know what they're buying.
"...you saw the cash and you report the different things," he said.
"To critics who say you're profiting off the presidency, Mr. [President]?" the reporter asked.
"Well, you know why I'm profiting? Because the stock market's going up. Everybody's profiting," Trump said. "So we're all profiting. I'm profiting because I have a lot of money and a lot of cash, and I give it to institutions."
The 927-page filing — compared to eight pages for former President Barack Obama's final disclosure and 11 for former President Joe Biden's — showed Trump's accounts bought stock in GEO Group, a private prison company that is one of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's biggest contractors, NBC News reported.
The purchases began just 10 days after his inauguration, as the number of immigrant detainees nearly doubled.
The White House said there are no conflicts of interest.