U.S. President Donald Trump walks after disembarking Marine One, after travel to Milford, Michigan, at the Ellipse near the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 27, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
History may not look back favorably on President Donald Trump's administration, but there is one thing he is almost certainly going to be known for, according to one analyst.
Never before in American history has a president used the office to personally enrich himself as Trump has, his niece Mary Trump wrote in a new Substack essay. And while her uncle has happily sat back and collected more than $2.2 billion in reported income during his second term, Mary Trump argued that his wealth is coming at the expense of democracy itself.
Mary Trump described her uncle's financial gains as "not merely unethical," but a "profound national security risk."
"When the President of the United States effectively hangs a sign reading 'For Sale,' the consequences extend far beyond his own bank account," Mary Trump wrote. "They affect every American because the decisions made in the Oval Office can no longer be assumed to serve the national interest. They become entangled with Donald’s personal financial interests, and those two things should never, ever overlap."
"Donald has spent his entire life pursuing wealth and personal advantage. The presidency has simply become the latest, and by far the most profitable, grift of his career," she added. "That should concern every one of us because history has shown repeatedly that when leaders begin treating public office as a means of personal enrichment, democracy itself becomes collateral damage."