Kleptocracy Inc Exposed: How Trump’s Family Turned the Presidency into a Billion-Dollar Pay-to-Play Scheme

For over a year, Anne Applebaum has been meticulously tracking the sprawling web of conflicts of interest and corruption surrounding Donald Trump and his inner circle. Her Kleptocracy Tracker, now a must-follow resource, catalogs how the president’s family and associates have turned public office into a personal money machine, with billions at stake.

Unlike any previous administration, the Trump family has openly done business with foreign leaders who directly influence U.S. policy. Jared Kushner’s dual role as a Middle East negotiator and Saudi business partner epitomizes this brazen conflict. Meanwhile, Trump’s sons have invested in companies tied to U.S. military interests and benefited from government stakes that inflated valuations exponentially.

Cryptocurrency has become a new frontier for their grift. Applebaum highlights the World Liberty Financial venture, where foreign investors from countries like the UAE, Pakistan, China, and Canada funneled money into Trump family crypto projects — often while seeking favors from the U.S. government. Many of these “investments” appear designed less for profit than as pay-to-play schemes.

The administration’s pardon spree adds another layer of corruption. Trump has issued more pardons than predecessors, frequently to individuals convicted of serious crimes who have donated to his campaigns. This blatant quid pro quo undermines the integrity of the justice system.

What makes this kleptocracy especially dangerous is the dismantling of enforcement mechanisms. The Department of Justice and FBI have been gutted of professionals willing to investigate these abuses. Instead, loyalists and sycophants occupy key roles, ensuring no one stops the president or his family from enriching themselves.

The consequences are profound. Globally and domestically, the question has shifted from “Who influences U.S. policy?” to “Who pays for it?” Yet political accountability remains elusive. Congressional probes stall under Republican control, and there is no mass political movement in the U.S. equating this corruption with the erosion of middle-class prosperity — unlike in Hungary, where oligarch-linked kleptocracy finally sparked change.

Applebaum’s work is a clarion call. The Trump era’s kleptocratic corruption is not just about money; it threatens the very foundations of American democracy. Without urgent action and enforcement, the U.S. risks becoming a kleptocracy where power is for sale and justice is for hire.

Read the full Kleptocracy Tracker and explore the detailed chart from the SNF Agora Institute to understand the depth and breadth of this crisis. The time to act is now.