A recent survey conducted by Reuters/Ipsos indicates that a majority of Americans believe President Donald Trump and his family have improperly profited from cryptocurrency since his return to office. Many respondents also feel that Trump’s political decisions are influenced by his private business interests.
Among Trump-supporting Republicans, half agree that the President allows his business interests to affect his decision-making, a striking finding for a leader who vowed to eliminate corruption in Washington, according to the survey.
Born into a wealthy real estate family in New York, Trump has built a globally recognized brand prior to his presidential candidacy. Last year alone, he reportedly earned over $1.4 billion from family businesses involved in cryptocurrency, including World Liberty Financial and the meme coin associated with his name, which he has publicly promoted.
In March 2025, just two months after the start of his second term, Trump drew attention on social media for his personal cryptocurrency, which he claimed was “the greatest of all!”
63% of Americans Criticize Trump’s Actions
Approximately 63% of survey respondents expressed that it is inappropriate for Trump and his family to profit in this manner, whereas 32% deemed it acceptable, with the remaining participants not responding. About 30% of Republican respondents categorized these transactions as inappropriate, while 70% considered them appropriate.
As the November midterm elections approach, Democrats frequently highlight alleged corruption within the Trump administration, which they argue could affect control of Congress for the next two years. Meanwhile, Trump’s administration has pledged to investigate alleged corruption in states governed by Democrats.
White House Denies Conflict of Interest
Trump consistently asserts that he has had no role in the daily management of his family’s business since returning to office and claims his investments are independently managed. However, during his second term, he has promoted pro-cryptocurrency policies, having courted cryptocurrency funds during his election campaign. Previously, he described cryptocurrencies as a threat to the dollar.
The White House has dismissed any allegations of wrongdoing, stating that Trump’s investments are managed by independent financial institutions. “There are no conflicts of interest,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly in a statement. “The President acts solely in the interest of the American public,” she added.
Unprecedented Business and Political Convergence
Experts in presidential ethics have deemed the current intertwining of business and politics within the White House unprecedented. “I have not seen anything like this before; not even during the first Trump administration did we have such complex business interests as seen in this second term,” remarked Richard Painter, the chief ethics lawyer for Republican President George W. Bush, as quoted by Reuters.
Americans Believe Trump’s Business Interests Influence Decisions
The survey also revealed that around 69% of Americans, including two-thirds of independents and nine out of ten Democrats, believe Trump’s private business interests influence his presidential decisions. Americans appear divided when assessing whether corruption has worsened under Trump’s administration compared to recent predecessors. Democrats largely view the level of corruption as higher, while Republicans are split, with 56% believing the situation has improved somewhat, and others believing it is unchanged or worse.
