Trump defends his crypto earning, says 'had lot of money before becoming president'

Highlights:

• Trump says his finances are managed through blind trusts.
• Crypto ventures generated more than $1 billion in reported income.
• Financial disclosures detail earnings from World Liberty Financial and the $TRUMP token.
• Trump says he built his fortune before returning to office.
• Critics continue to question possible conflicts of interest.

President Donald Trump has defended earning about $1.2 billion from cryptocurrency ventures connected to his family while serving in the White House. Speaking to reporters before boarding a new Air Force One aircraft gifted by Qatar on Wednesday (1), Trump rejected claims that he was using the presidency to increase his personal wealth.

When asked about criticism over his financial gains, Trump said many Americans have also benefited from the country's economic growth.

"You know why I'm profiting, because the stock market's going up, everybody's profiting," Trump said.

Trump also said his personal finances are managed through blind trusts. He explained that professional fund managers control his investments and make decisions without his involvement.

"I don't get involved in my personal (finances), we have funds that run my money," Trump said. "I've made a lot of money before I became president, and they invest my money, and I don't talk to them."

Trump also said his financial success did not begin with his return to the White House. He pointed to his long career in business and said his wealth had been built over many years.

"I don't know if I've had a better career in politics or business, but I had a great career in business, and you know, you saw the cash, and you report the different things," he said.

"So we're all profiting. I'm profiting because I have a lot of money and a lot of cash."

The remarks came after the US Office of Government Ethics released financial disclosure documents covering Trump's finances. The filings showed that he received nearly $550 million in 2025 through his connection to World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company linked to his family.

World Liberty Financial was co-founded in September 2024 by Trump's sons and the son of Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East special envoy. The company has become one of the largest contributors to Trump's recent income.

The disclosures also listed about $635 million in royalties tied to the $TRUMP cryptocurrency token. The digital token was launched just hours before Trump's inauguration in January 2025. Together, the earnings from World Liberty Financial and the $TRUMP token account for more than $1 billion in reported crypto-related income.

According to Forbes, Trump's estimated net worth increased from $2.3 billion in 2024 to $6.5 billion in 2026. Much of that growth has been linked to the strong performance of his cryptocurrency ventures.

Before entering the White House for his first term in 2017, Trump's wealth came primarily from his real estate business and a diversified investment portfolio. Financial disclosures from 2015 and 2016 showed that he owned shares in major publicly traded companies across the technology, energy, finance, consumer goods, and industrial sectors. Reports also showed that he later sold many of those stock holdings before taking office.

In addition to stocks, Trump maintained significant cash reserves, investments in hedge funds and mutual funds, and holdings in US Treasury and municipal bonds. His business empire also relied heavily on long-term commercial financing. Large loans from institutions such as Deutsche Bank and Ladder Capital helped finance several high-profile real estate projects, including Trump International Hotel Chicago and Trump National Doral in Miami.

Trump's involvement in cryptocurrency has continued to draw criticism from political opponents and ethics experts. They argue that a sitting president with major financial interests in digital assets could face conflicts between public responsibilities and private business interests.

The White House has defended the administration's policies toward digital assets, saying Trump had "proudly made the United States the crypto capital of the world."