Trump's Presidency Sparks Debate Over Monetization of Office

According to BlockBeats, recent actions by U.S. President Donald Trump, including receiving a plane from Qatar and hosting cryptocurrency events, have raised concerns about the monetization of the presidency. The New York Times highlighted that Trump and his family have leveraged the White House for financial gain more than any previous administration, normalizing activities that would have previously sparked strong opposition and official investigations. Scholars studying corruption in public office suggest that by traditional Washington standards, Trump's administration is in its early stages but is already one of the most blatant in using public office for personal gain in U.S. history. This level of audacity may surpass that of the Watergate scandal and other notable controversies. The report indicates that since Trump regained power, he has normalized profit-driven initiatives that once triggered endless political backlash, televised hearings, official probes, and damage control efforts. The diminishing outrage, or at least the lack thereof, during Trump's era reflects the extent to which he has altered the established norms of behavior in Washington.