Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly has made headlines after speaking out about the Trump family’s financial gains during Donald Trump’s presidency. Kelly, 55, shared her concerns during a recent episode of the Hodgetwins Podcast.
Kelly said, “You look across the board at the Trump family, I’ve never seen a family get so rich off of a presidency. I don’t think we want our presidents or their families getting rich off the presidency.” According to the Daily Express, she also raised questions about stock trades, adding, “I really want to know more about these trades happening on Iran right before he makes the announcements. This is not the way it’s supposed to be.”
Donald Trump has earned billions of dollars from family business ventures and investments over his past 16 months in the White House. The ways in which Trump and his family have been profiting from the presidency have been tracked since his inauguration in January 2025, but they are now getting fresh attention following disclosures about stock trades made by Trump’s personal investment advisers.
The scale of Trump’s financial gains during his presidency is drawing serious comparisons to the worst corruption in American history
The White House has maintained that Trump has not broken any U.S. laws or ethics rules that apply to the presidency. However, independent observers are describing the scale of his personal financial gains in very strong terms. “Donald Trump has presided over the most lucrative presidency in American history, adding billions to his net worth, largely by cashing in on crypto,” Forbes writes.
“Trump has enriched himself financially on a scale that dwarfs even the most infamous scandals in American history,” said Eric Petry, counsel in the elections and government program at the Brennan Center for Justice. Barbara Perry, a historian at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, said the Trump family has made billions in “ill-gotten dollars” during his term.
“Presidents have had corrupt, even criminal, family members … but none of them succeeded to the extent of the Trump family in the level of graft achieved,” Perry told The New York Times. Trump’s financial gains have largely been tied to his cryptocurrency ventures, which have brought in billions of dollars.
He has also received tens of millions of dollars in lawsuit settlements, with the money said to be directed toward his presidential library. According to CBC, his stock market activity has also been closely watched, with some critics arguing that he has used his position to influence the market.
Kelly’s concern about Iran-related trades is also worth noting, as reports suggest Trump may be planning a strike on Iran, which has raised further questions about the timing of certain financial moves. “This is an open, pay-for-play, corrupt presidency,” said Will Ragland, vice-president for research at the Center for American Progress.
He added, “There really is no historical precedent for the amount of personal cash he has brought in and the political money he’s been able to raise since being elected the second time.” While the debate over whether any laws or ethics rules have been broken continues, independent observers argue that Trump’s actions have set a troubling precedent for presidential self-enrichment.
The White House has repeatedly said Trump has done nothing wrong, but the scrutiny around his financial dealings shows no signs of slowing down. Trump’s presidency has also stirred strong reactions beyond U.S. borders, with Greenland citizens taking to the streets to protest against Trump being one notable example.
Published: May 25, 2026 10:15 am