Trump has instead wielded U.S. foreign policy principally to increase his own wealth, bolster his status, and personally benefit a small circle of his family members, friends, and loyalists. U.S. foreign policy is now largely subordinate to the private interests of the president and his retainers. These interests may, from time to time, align with some plausible understanding of the public good.

Much more often, however, the Trump administration invokes U.S. national interests to deflect from its self-dealing by eroding the distinction between its private interests and those of the American people. The piece talks a lot about Steven Witkoff. Jared Kushner shows up as well.

The two are currently not negotiating a resolution to the Trump-Hegseth war with Iran, so let’s check in on other developments in the era of American kleptocracy. According to the New York Times: To build his mammoth White House ballroom, President Trump last summer chose Maryland-based Clark Construction. Since then, Mr.

Trump has repeatedly sung the company’s praises, even saying he wanted it to refurbish projects all over Washington.In January, government documents show, the Trump administration secretly gave the company a no-bid contract to do another job at a sharply inflated price.The National Park Service wanted to repair two ornamental fountains in Lafayette Park, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. The Biden administration in 2022 had estimated the work would cost $3.3 million. But Mr.

Trump’s government agreed to pay Clark $11.9 million to do it, and later added tasks that increased the contract to $17.4 million, the documents show. We sure are lucky that, in their infinite wisdom, the founders refused to place the president above the law.