Just when the political arena seemed predictable, 2025 has brought an unprecedented financial spotlight on Donald Trump.
Reports reveal that the former president has amassed an extraordinary fortune—not from real estate or rallies, but from a series of high-profile legal victories. The revelations have stirred controversy, with Senator Bernie Sanders accusing Trump of exploiting the system for personal gain.
Despite foregoing the traditional presidential salary of $400,000 and modest allowances for expenses, travel, and entertainment, Trump’s wealth has surged this year through legal settlements against some of the world’s largest companies.
Notable Settlements in 2025:
Meta: Trump secured $25 million in a lawsuit stemming from the suspension of his social media accounts after January 6, 2021. Approximately $22 million of the settlement is earmarked for his presidential library, set to open in 2029.
YouTube: In September, the platform agreed to pay $24.5 million to resolve a similar dispute over account suspensions and alleged censorship.
Twitter/X: Trump received $10 million in February following his permanent ban from the platform after the Capitol riots.
Paramount/CBS: Summer brought a $16 million settlement over a televised interview dispute with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Sanders later claimed Trump’s total benefit from CBS and affiliated media reached $36 million, including promotional value from executives.
Bernie Sanders has publicly criticized these windfalls, posting a breakdown of Trump’s 2025 earnings that included:
$3 billion from cryptocurrency
$940 million from legal firms
$400 million in gifts from Qatar, including a private jet
$36 million from CBS
$25 million from Meta
$24 million from YouTube
$16 million from ABC
$10 million from X
This is what kleptocracy looks like.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 22, 2025
In 2025, Donald Trump has received:
$3 billion: mostly from crypto
$940 million: law firms
$400 million plane: Qatar
$36 million: CBS
$25 million: Meta
$24 million: YouTube
$16 million: ABC
$10 million: X
Now $230 million from DOJ?
$230 million sought from the Department of Justice
According to The New York Times, Trump is now pursuing $230 million from the DOJ, citing damages from extended investigations. Trump, however, downplayed the pursuit, suggesting any funds would go to charitable causes.
🔹 Conclusion
Trump’s 2025 financial successes have sparked intense debate over ethics, influence, and the intersection of wealth and politics. Supporters celebrate his legal victories as justice against powerful institutions, while critics, led by Sanders, warn that such outcomes reflect a troubling concentration of privilege and power. The question lingers: when lawsuits become a path to personal fortune for a former president, who truly benefits—and what does it mean for the nation?