Trump's Economy: A Rigged Game Where Insiders Cash In and Everyone Else Loses

Donald Trump’s presidency has created an economic landscape that divides Americans into two groups: insiders who get rich and everyone else left holding the bag. As Catherine Rampell details in The Bulwark, Trump and his circle—including family members, cabinet officials, and well-connected cronies—have been feasting at the public trough while ordinary citizens are systematically ripped off.

One glaring example is the surge of suspiciously well-timed trades on prediction markets. Accounts created just before major geopolitical events—like U.S. strikes on Iran or the invasion of Venezuela—made near-perfect bets, raising red flags about insider trading based on confidential or classified information. A recent case involved newly minted accounts placing precise bets on ceasefire outcomes between the U.S. and Iran, suggesting access to privileged intelligence. Such insider knowledge not only enriches a select few but also risks distorting policy decisions, as officials might prioritize personal gain over the national interest.

Traditional financial markets show similar patterns. Minutes before Trump’s market-moving social media posts, trades worth hundreds of millions of dollars were placed in oil futures, an anomaly flagged by seasoned portfolio managers. These shadowy maneuvers siphon wealth from everyday investors—your 401(k), pension funds, and small-time shareholders—into the pockets of those with a direct line to power.

Beyond enabling insider trading, the Trump administration has systematically dismantled enforcement of white-collar crime. Federal prosecutions for corporate wrongdoing have plummeted to historic lows, with the Department of Justice diverting resources away from financial crimes to other priorities like immigration enforcement. Executive orders have further weakened regulatory frameworks, including a pause on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations under the guise of protecting “American economic competitiveness.” Meanwhile, the administration pushes risky investment vehicles on average Americans, encouraging them to pour retirement savings into opaque markets like private credit and cryptocurrency just as those sectors teeter on collapse.

Trump’s corruption isn’t limited to letting new fraudsters off the hook. He has actively pardoned or commuted sentences for a slew of convicted financial criminals, from crypto exchange founders to former politicians caught in fraud scandals. These pardons reward loyalty and criminality alike, sending a clear message: if you’re in Trump’s inner circle, the law doesn’t apply.

This is not just a story about economic inequality; it’s about a presidency that weaponizes public power for private gain while eroding the rule of law. For the rest of us, the message is clear: if you’re not at Trump’s table, you’re on the menu. And that makes all of us chumps.