A Reuters/Ipsos poll released August 19, 2026 found that 63% of Americans believe President Trump and his family have inappropriately profited from cryptocurrency ventures since he returned to office in January 2025, while 69% say his private business interests influence his decisions as president. The findings reflect broad, cross-partisan concern about conflicts between Trump’s public role and his family’s crypto empire.
What does the Reuters/Ipsos poll say about Trump profiting from office
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, released August 19, 2026, directly asked Americans whether Trump and his family have inappropriately profited from cryptocurrency since he returned to power in January 2025. The answer was a clear yes from most respondents. Most Americans believe Trump has inappropriately profited since returning to power, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds, with 63% calling the crypto profits inappropriate and only 32% saying they were appropriate.
The poll also captured a deeper concern: 69% of Americans believe Trump’s private business interests influence his decisions as president. That figure, highlighted in social-media summaries of the survey, crosses partisan lines and signals that the public sees a direct line between Trump’s wallet and his policy agenda.
For readers in Utica, Rome, and across the Mohawk Valley, these numbers matter because they measure public trust in the presidency itself. When a majority of Americans, including independents and a meaningful slice of Republicans, believe the Oval Office is being used as a personal revenue engine, the foundation of democratic accountability starts to crack.
How many Americans think Trump profited inappropriately since 2025
The headline number is 63%. That is the share of Americans who told Reuters/Ipsos it was inappropriate for Trump and his family to profit from crypto ventures after he returned to office in January 2025. Another 32% said it was appropriate, and the remainder did not answer.
A separate July 2026 USA Today survey reinforced the same pattern, finding that 60% of Americans believe Trump uses his office for personal gain, including 69% of independents and 94% of Democrats.
The partisan split is striking. Among Republicans, 56% said corruption under Trump is at least “slightly better” than under previous presidents, even while many acknowledge the crypto profiting. Reuters emphasized this dynamic as evidence that many Republican voters accept or downplay perceived conflicts rather than confront them.
What specific businesses has Trump profited from as president
Trump’s crypto earnings flow from several interconnected ventures, according to Reuters investigations and his own financial disclosures.
- World Liberty Financial: Trump’s flagship crypto venture, which has funneled more than $1.6 billion to the Trump family. That includes over $1.4 billion from governance-token sales and roughly $230 million from other associated ventures. The Trumps receive about a 75% cut of token-sale proceeds after expenses.
- The Trump meme coin: A separate token branded with Trump’s name has generated roughly $635 million in profit for the family since launch, despite wild price swings typical of meme coins.
- Traditional investments: Reuters reported on July 13, 2026 that Trump has moved much of his crypto income into stocks and bonds, making digital-asset gains a central pillar of his personal wealth rather than a speculative sideline.
The parsing of Trump’s crypto profits and investor losses reveals a pattern reporters describe as a “playbook” in which the family risks little of its own capital yet captures outsized gains from token sales and related structures.
How is Trump making money while president legally
Trump’s crypto profits are possible because the legal framework governing presidential conflicts of interest has enormous gaps. The key statute, 18 U.S.C. § 208, bars federal employees from participating in matters where they have a financial interest, but the president and vice president are explicitly exempt. That exemption, dating to the 1970s, was designed on the assumption that voters and political pressure, not criminal law, would restrain a president’s self-dealing.
Trump has also argued that his investments are managed by independent financial institutions and that he has “no day-to-day role” in family businesses. The White House has flatly rejected conflict-of-interest allegations, with spokeswoman Anna Kelly stating, “There are no conflicts of interest.”
Ethics experts sharply disagree. Richard Painter, who served as chief ethics lawyer under Republican President George W. Bush, called Trump’s situation “unprecedented,” arguing that the combination of direct profit from policy-sensitive crypto ventures and a sitting president’s promotional role poses novel and serious conflict problems.
What are the rules about presidential conflicts of interest
The rules about presidential conflicts of interest are surprisingly thin, and that is a core reason this story exists. Here is the basic framework:
| Rule or Mechanism | Applies to President? | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|
| 18 U.S.C. § 208 (criminal conflict statute) | No, explicit exemption | Does not apply |
| Ethics in Government Act financial disclosures | Yes | Transparency only, no enforcement |
| Office of Government Ethics enforcement | Limited | Can investigate, cannot prosecute |
| Constitutional Emoluments Clause | Theoretically yes | Rarely litigated, politically dependent |
| Congressional oversight | Yes, through impeachment and hearings | Depends on political will |
The system relies heavily on norms, not laws. When those norms break down, as they have under Trump, there is no automatic backstop. That is why Trump’s reported crypto gains invested in stocks and bonds have generated such alarm among ethics watchdogs.
Has any president profited from office before Trump
Presidents have always had wealth, but the scale and directness of Trump’s profiting is genuinely new. George Washington ran a distillery while in office. Jimmy Carter placed his peanut farm in a blind trust. Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama relied on book deals and speaking fees after leaving office. Joe Biden’s family business dealings drew scrutiny, but nothing approaching $2.3 billion in a single term.
What makes Trump different is the combination of three factors: the sheer dollar volume, the direct branding of financial products with his name while serving, and the policy sensitivity of the industry profiting him. Crypto regulation is actively being shaped by his administration. That is why Painter and other ethics lawyers use the word “unprecedented” rather than just “troubling.”
What did Trump do with his businesses when he became president
Trump did not place his assets in a blind trust, as modern presidents have done since the 1970s. Instead, he handed day-to-day management to his children and associates while retaining ownership stakes. His financial disclosures show the Trump family continuing to earn from branded ventures, real estate, and now cryptocurrency.
The June 30, 2026 Reuters report on Trump’s financial disclosure documents that Trump earned more than $1.4 billion in income from his family’s crypto ventures in 2025 alone. Almost $800 million flowed to his companies from World Liberty Financial, including more than $520 million from governance-token sales and more than $250 million from sales of interests in the World Liberty business.
How can Americans report concerns about presidential profiting
There is no single hotline for reporting presidential profiting, but several channels exist:
- Office of Government Ethics (OGE): Accepts complaints about executive branch ethics violations, though its enforcement power over the president is limited.
- Congressional representatives: House and Senate oversight committees can investigate, subpoena, and hold hearings. Contacting your representative, including Rep. Claudia Tenney in New York’s 24th District, puts pressure on the system.
- Inspectors General: Federal agency IGs can investigate corruption within their agencies, including contracts influenced by presidential business interests.
- Civil society organizations: Groups like Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) file lawsuits and publish investigations.
- State attorneys general: Can pursue violations of state law, including fraud or consumer protection issues tied to Trump-branded financial products.
For Mohawk Valley residents, the most direct lever is contacting your members of Congress and demanding hearings. The system only works if constituents force it to.
What’s the difference between legal and illegal presidential profiting
The line between legal and illegal presidential profiting is blurry by design, and Trump is exploiting that blur.
Legal profiting includes book royalties, speaking fees after office, and passive investment income from diversified portfolios held in blind trusts. These are accepted because they do not create direct conflicts with policy decisions.
Illegal profiting would include bribery under 18 U.S.C. § 201, honest services fraud, or violations of the Emoluments Clause if a court chose to enforce it. Proving these requires showing a direct quid pro quo, which is difficult when the profit flows through branded tokens and family businesses rather than a briefcase of cash.
Trump’s crypto earnings sit in a gray zone. They are likely legal under current statutes because of the presidential exemption, but they violate the spirit of every ethics norm built over the last half-century. That gray zone is exactly where the Reuters/Ipsos poll on Trump’s profiting lands: most Americans see the impropriety even if the law does not yet capture it.
Why do people think Trump is profiting from being president
Americans believe Trump is profiting because the evidence is public and the timing is impossible to ignore. His administration has pushed crypto-friendly policies, including regulatory rollbacks and appointments of industry allies, while his family earns billions from crypto ventures bearing his name.
The poll showing Americans find Trump’s crypto profits inappropriate connects these dots directly. When a president promotes an industry, shapes its regulation, and personally earns $1.4 billion from that same industry in a single year, the public draws the obvious conclusion.
This is not a partisan smear. The 69% who say Trump’s business interests influence his decisions include independents and a notable share of Republicans. The perception of corruption is broad because the facts are broad.
What oversight exists for presidential business dealings
Oversight of presidential business dealings is fragmented and weak. The Office of Government Ethics collects disclosures but cannot prosecute. Congressional committees can investigate but require political will. The Emoluments Clause exists in the Constitution but has never been meaningfully enforced against a sitting president.
Federal watchdogs, inspectors general, and civil society groups fill some gaps through litigation and reporting, but they lack the power to freeze assets or compel divestment. The system assumes a president will voluntarily avoid conflicts. Trump has tested that assumption to its breaking point.
How does Trump’s situation compare to other recent presidents
Trump’s situation is categorically different from his predecessors. Here is a quick comparison:
| President | Wealth Source | Conflict Controls | Scale of In-Office Profiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barack Obama | Book deals (post-office) | Blind trust | Minimal |
| Donald Trump (2017-2021) | Real estate, branding | Children managed, no blind trust | Significant but smaller |
| Joe Biden | Family business dealings | Ethics agreements | Scrutinized, not billion-scale |
| Donald Trump (2025-present) | Crypto ventures | None meaningful | Over $1.4 billion in 2025 alone |
The Reuters investigation into Trump’s crypto playbook documents how the family “always wins” while investors absorb losses. That asymmetry, repeated across multiple ventures, is what separates Trump from every modern president.
What would need to happen for Trump to face consequences for profiting
For Trump to face real consequences, at least one of three things would need to happen.
First, Congress could pass legislation closing the presidential exemption in 18 U.S.C. § 208 and requiring blind trusts for presidents and their families. That would require either Democratic majorities or Republicans willing to break ranks, which currently seems unlikely.
Second, the House could open serious oversight hearings and subpoena financial records, ethics officials, and crypto executives. This depends entirely on whether Republican leadership allows it.
Third, state attorneys general or federal prosecutors could pursue criminal charges tied to specific transactions, such as fraud in meme-coin sales or violations of state securities laws. This path is legally complex but not impossible.
None of these will happen without public pressure. That is where the Mohawk Valley, and every community like it, comes in.
Congress failed the test: Why Trump did not do this alone
Here is the truth that the polling data points toward but does not state outright: Trump did not do this alone. Congress is partially responsible for what he has done.
Anyone who is a parent, teacher, babysitter, boss, or supervisor knows the basic dynamic. A child, a student, an employee will keep testing boundaries to see how far they can stretch the rules. The test is not really about the child. It is about the adult in the room. Will the adult enforce the limit, or will they look the other way?
The Republicans in the Senate and House failed that test. When Trump refused to divest, they said nothing. When his family launched branded crypto tokens, they stayed silent. When his financial disclosures showed $1.4 billion in crypto income, they held no hearings. When ethics lawyers called the situation unprecedented, they changed the subject.
This is not just about Trump. It is about a Congress that decided party loyalty mattered more than constitutional duty. Every member who looked the other way, every committee chair who declined to subpoena, every senator who shrugged at a billion-dollar conflict, owns a piece of this failure.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll captures the public’s anger at Trump. But the deeper anger, the one that should worry every incumbent, is at a system that let him do it. Voters in the Mohawk Valley, in Oneida County, in upstate New York, and across the country have a chance to hold both accountable.
What readers can do right now
If this story makes you angry, channel that anger into action.
- Contact your representatives. Call Rep. Claudia Tenney, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Demand oversight hearings on presidential conflicts of interest.
- Attend town hall meetings. Show up and ask directly what your representative is doing about presidential profiting.
- Support local journalism. National outlets break these stories, but local papers connect them to your community. Subscribe, share, and amplify.
- Register to vote. Check your registration status and make sure your voice counts in every election, from school board to president.
- Talk to your neighbors. Share the polling data. Most Americans agree on this. The challenge is turning agreement into action.
The Mohawk Valley has a long tradition of holding power accountable, from labor organizing to grassroots activism. This moment calls for that tradition again.
FAQ
What did the August 2026 Reuters/Ipsos poll find?
The poll found that 63% of Americans believe Trump and his family have inappropriately profited from cryptocurrency since he returned to office, and 69% believe his private business interests influence his presidential decisions.
How much has the Trump family made from crypto since January 2025?
Reuters estimates the Trump family has made at least $2.3 billion from crypto-related projects since Trump returned to the White House, while investors in those ventures have collectively lost about $2.3 billion.
What is World Liberty Financial?
World Liberty Financial is Trump’s flagship crypto venture. It has funneled more than $1.6 billion to the Trump family, including over $1.4 billion from governance-token sales.
Is it illegal for a president to profit from office?
Under current federal law, the president is exempt from the criminal conflict-of-interest statute that applies to other federal employees. Trump’s profits are likely legal but violate long-standing ethics norms.
What has the White House said about the conflicts?
The White House has denied any conflicts of interest, with spokeswoman Anna Kelly stating, “There are no conflicts of interest,” and asserting that Trump’s investments are managed by independent institutions.
Do Republicans believe Trump is profiting inappropriately?
Many do. The poll found that even among Republicans, 56% say corruption is at least “slightly better” under Trump, but many acknowledge the profiting while downplaying its significance.
What can ordinary citizens do?
Contact congressional representatives, demand oversight hearings, attend town halls, support local journalism, register to vote, and share credible reporting with neighbors.
Conclusion
The Reuters/Ipsos poll released August 19, 2026 confirms what many Americans already sensed: most believe Trump has inappropriately profited since returning to power, and most believe his business interests shape his policy decisions. The numbers are not close. They cross party lines. They reflect a public that sees what is happening and is looking for someone to stop it.
Trump did not build this system alone. Congress let him do it. Republicans in the House and Senate failed the most basic test of oversight, treating party loyalty as a substitute for constitutional duty. The result is a presidency that operates, in the eyes of most Americans, as a personal profit engine.
The fix is not mysterious. It requires Congress to close the presidential exemption in federal ethics law, hold real hearings, and treat conflicts of interest as the constitutional issue they are. It requires voters to hold their representatives accountable for inaction. And it requires citizens in places like Utica, Rome, and every town across the Mohawk Valley to keep showing up, keep asking questions, and keep demanding better.
Trust in government is not a renewable resource. Once it is gone, rebuilding it takes a generation. The work starts now, locally, with the people who refuse to look away.
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