Today, Explained All the president’s side hustles
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May 15, 2025 
Eli Stokols, a White House and foreign policy correspondent at Politico, and Will Gottsagen, a crypto writer for The Atlantic, delve into the intersection of politics and personal business ventures. They discuss the ethical implications of the president's Middle East trip amid crypto investments, questioning how such projects could influence foreign policy. The conversation also highlights the Trump family's pivot from traditional businesses to cryptocurrency, revealing the tumultuous relationship between politics and the volatile crypto market.
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Trump's Family Middle East Deals
- Trump's sons are heavily involved in real estate deals in the Middle East benefiting the Trump Corporation.
- These deals blur the line between private profit and presidential influence.
Qatar's Controversial Jet Gift
- Qatar's offer to give a $400 million Boeing 747 to Trump as Air Force One raised ethical questions.
- The deal shocked even Republicans because accepting a foreign government gift is unusual and controversial.
Transactional Foreign Policy Focus
- Trump's Middle East trip aims primarily to secure investment deals, not traditional diplomacy.
- The region's leaders embrace Trump's transactional foreign policy focused on money over values.