Grift! Trump plots to pocket $230M from taxpayers over his own ‘Joker’ intel scandal 
MSNBC·2025-10-22 00:10

Allegations of Misconduct and Abuse of Power - The report alleges President Trump is attempting to transfer over $200 million from taxpayer funds into his personal account, characterizing it as a blatant grift and ethics scandal [1] - The report claims Trump is demanding $230 million from taxpayers, citing his own conduct that led to past federal investigations as justification [1] - The report asserts that Trump's actions are unprecedented, as no president has ever attempted to directly take money from the Department of Justice (DOJ) for personal gain [2] - The report suggests Trump is attempting to undermine the independence of the DOJ, potentially turning it into a tool for personal enrichment and targeting critics [12][26] Ethical Concerns and Conflicts of Interest - The report highlights concerns about Trump's profiteering from his businesses while in office, offering White House access to crypto investors, and his family trading on his government power [2][3] - The report points out an ethical conflict, as Trump's criminal defense lawyers are now in positions to compensate him with taxpayer money over cases they worked on [14] - The report mentions the firing of the DOJ's top ethics advisor, raising further questions about the ethical oversight of the department [14] Legal and Constitutional Implications - The report questions the legality of using taxpayer funds to compensate Trump for investigations stemming from his own misconduct [30][32] - The report emphasizes that Congress has the power of the purse and cannot simply transfer $230 million of taxpayer funds at Trump's direction [32] - The report suggests that Trump's actions could be viewed as a violation of the rule of law and a move towards autocracy [20]