The Art of the Steal

First published in the Brunswick Beacon, 05.28.26

Conservative David Frum was George W. Bush’s speechwriter. Frum says Trump’s presidency is one giant grift.

Trump accepted a Boeing 747, described as a “flying palace,” from the Qatari royal family. “This plane is going to be flying him around and his relatives and friends,” said Frum. “It’s a personal gift to Trump from the government of Qatar.”

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) called the $400,000,000 gift “rife with ethical and constitutional problems.” The Constitution prohibits accepting gifts “of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State” without congressional approval. Congressional Republicans didn’t approve it — they simply ignored it.

Trump made billions on $TRUMP, a meme coin Trump promoted by offering investors exclusive tours of the White House. “In Trump’s first term ... he made improper millions of dollars,” says Frum. “In his second term, he’s making improper billions of dollars through his coin operations.”

Fortunes were made in TACO trades every time Trump announced tariffs only to chicken out. Trump traded more stock in 3 months than all 535 senators and representatives in a year.

When Trump’s IRS leaked the tax returns Trump promised to release but didn’t, Trump sued his own government for $10 billion. Trump claimed he suffered “public embarrassment” because his returns showed he paid no income taxes in 10 of the previous 15 years. As president, Trump ordered his former personal attorney, who he appointed acting attorney general, to “settle” his claim for nearly $2 billion and drop all tax audits against him, his family, and his businesses!

That gives Trump a slush fund to reward insurrectionists who obeyed his command to “fight like hell” by attacking law enforcement officers on Jan. 6. First, he pardoned them, now he’s paying them off — with your money.

Congressional Republicans ignore Trump’s corruption. Others profit from it. Only you can stop Trump from robbing you blind — by retiring David Rouzer and electing Kimberly Hardy NC District 7 Representative and Roy Cooper US Senator.

Linda McConnell Baker

Leland