Daily Beast: Stephanopoulos Slams Trump and Family’s ‘Brazen Corruption’

The star anchor hammered the president for exploiting the highest office in the land for “billions of dollars.”

George Stephanopoulos came out swinging against President Donald Trump and his family during the opening remarks of his This Week broadcast on Sunday.

Stephanopoulos alleged that the Trump clan has exploited the highest office in the land to generate “billions of dollars” in deals.

“The scale is staggering,” the ABC host said. “President Trump and his family are making hundreds of millions, potentially billions of dollars as Trump and his administration take official actions that benefit contributors and investors.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/abcs-george-stephanopoulos-slams-donald-trump-and-familys-brazen-corruption

The Hill: Democrats rip Trump ahead of meme coin dinner: ‘Orgy of corruption

However, the announcement of the dinner last month, which urged investors to load up on $TRUMP to secure one of 220 spots at the “intimate private dinner,” has sparked a new level of backlash. 

“Donald Trump’s dinner is an orgy of corruption,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Thursday. “That’s what this is all about. We are here today to talk about exactly one topic: corruption, corruption in its ugliest form.”  

“Donald Trump is using the presidency of the United States to make himself richer through crypto, and he’s doing it right out there in plain sight,” she added. “He is signaling to anyone who wants to ask for a special favor and is willing to pay for it exactly how to do that.” 

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5314955-trump-meme-coin-dinner-criticism

USA Today: Trump’s crypto dinner: Black ties, a Chinese billionaire and ethics questions

Referencing Trump’s business moves while in office, an ethics expert said, “His is one of the most blatant and appalling instances of selling access to the presidency I’ve ever seen.”

President Donald Trump dined with 220 investors who plowed a combined $148 million into his crypto venture, boosting the growing crypto industry and inviting a torrent of criticism about the ethical implications.

Black-tie dinners with the wealthy are nothing new for Trump. But this event, which took place on the evening of May 22 at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia, stood out among the annals of presidential dining.

The dinner with the president was a reward for making the leaderboard in a contest to be among the top purchasers of the $TRUMP meme coin, a type of cryptocurrency. The top 25 buyers spent more than $111 million and were granted a private VIP reception with Trump, while the top four also received a limited edition Trump Tourbillon watch that sells for $100,000.

This is corruption and influence-peddling at is finest. King Donald is for sale!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/22/trump-crypto-dinner-ethics-meme-coin/83787117007

Alternet: Donald Trump just can’t resist the bribes | Opinion

But one thing almost all Americans are firmly against — even many loyal Trumpers — [i]s bribery. And Trump is taking bigger and bigger bribes.

Yesterday it was reported that he’s accepting a luxury Boeing 747-8 plane worth at least $400 million from the Qatari royal family, for use during his presidency and for his personal use afterward.

Trump just can’t resist. He’s been salivating over the plane for months. It’s bigger and newer than Air Force One — and so opulently configured that it’s known as “a flying palace.” (No report on whether it contains a golden toilet.)

Apparently he’s been talking about the plane for months. In February, he toured it while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport.

He’s tried to redecorate the White House into a palace but that’s not nearly as satisfying as flying around the world in one, especially once he’s left the White House (assuming he will).

https://www.alternet.org/donald-trump-just-can-t-resist-the-bribes