Bulwark Takes Rush Hour 4 and the Billion-Dollar Bribe Machine
Dec 3, 2025
Sam Stein and Catherine Rampell dive into the bizarre world where corporate America flatters Donald Trump. They explore wild gestures like the Diet Coke trophy and discuss how companies prioritize political appeasement over genuine business strategies. Recent examples show firms offering donations and even reviving Rush Hour 4 as a means to smooth mergers. The duo examines the economic toll of corruption and how businesses distort their decisions to avoid presidential scrutiny, all while sharing hilariously absurd gifts to win favor.
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Bribery Trumps Business Optimization
- Companies are making political appeasement decisions instead of focusing on core business activities like product development and marketing.
- That misallocation reduces long-term economic growth by diverting resources to curry favor with political power rather than innovation.
Rush Hour 4 As A Political Payoff
- Rush Hour 4 became feasible not for artistic reasons but because Donald Trump wanted it produced.
- Paramount reportedly agreed to distribute the film to curry favor during its merger pursuits.
Corruption Undermines Economic Growth
- Corruption and weakened rule of law materially harm economic outcomes by shifting company priorities toward political survival.
- Firms waste talent and capital on influence-seeking roles instead of improving products, reducing aggregate productivity.