To the Editor:
Re “Trump Businesses Reaped $2 Billion, 2025 Filings Show” (front page, July 2):
President Trump and his family’s $2.2 billion windfall during the first year of his second term is further evidence that he is more concerned about making his own bank account great again than about the millions of Americans across the country struggling to pay for essentials such as food, health care and fuel.
There is something almost sickening about the unabashed, bold levels of gluttonous grifting that so many of his followers seemingly ignore or excuse as the natural behavior of a business person.
Eventually more Americans will sour on the fact that Mr. Trump is using his position to fatten his and his family’s pocketbooks. Hopefully there will be investigations as more curtains are raised, revealing what could prove to be even more questionable behavior.
Even at this point, this administration appears to be one of the most unethical in American history.
Cody Lyon
Brooklyn
To the Editor:
One wonders how a man who campaigned on draining the swamp if he was elected can claim that he is fighting the good fight when he and his family make $2 billion in the process.
Given this windfall, it’s no surprise that he called the recent bipartisan housing bill “a big yawn.”
Michael Scott
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Re “Crypto Windfall for Trump but Not for Most Investors” (front page, July 3):
It should come as no surprise that hundreds of thousands of investors lost millions purchasing a cryptocurrency called $TRUMP while President Trump and his family made vast amounts of money.
The same thing happened to millions of Trump voters who are now losers while he and his wealthy buddies cash in on the presidency.
Robert S. Carroll
Staten Island
Trump’s World Cup Foul
To the Editor:
Re “Trump Asked FIFA to Review U.S. Player’s Ban,” about the reversal of Folarin Balogun’s World Cup suspension (front page, July 6):
Wrong! Foul! Favoritism!
How to spoil a really great World Cup!
Whether or not this was the right call is beside the point. No head of state should be able to influence a decision in a sport. We would protest if another nation did it. This stains our great team and our national sense of fairness.
It is more than a sports world issue. It is an exercise of power that should be denounced by commissioners and leaders in all sports. It is a mark of shame for a good team and a great player.
Dave Pasinski
Fayetteville, N.Y.
Taylor Swift, Feminist Bride
To the Editor:
Re “This Is Not What I Imagined for Taylor Swift,” by Alice Bolin (Opinion guest essay, July 3):
At almost twice the age of Tay-Tay, I am hardly a typical friendship-bracelet-trading, Eras Tour-pilgrimaging Swiftie.
But I am a fan of many of her songs, and I appreciate her business acumen, humor, intelligence and just plain sense of fun.
She’s a powerful, positive and relatable role model for her younger followers. She gives generous gifts and donations to deserving employees and organizations. And whatever expense her wedding entailed, she and Travis Kelce could easily afford it, unlike many couples whose lavish affairs end up putting them in debt.
It seems petty, let alone pointless, to criticize her selection of partner and celebration location. Feminism is about women making their own choices, without judging the choices of others.
I got married on my aunt and uncle’s lawn.
I imagine Taylor is OK with that.
Raleigh Mayer
New York
Rich Political Donors
To the Editor:
Re “Ruling Lifts Spending Limits on Political Parties and Candidates” (front page, July 1):
In his majority opinion justifying unlimited political party spending in aid of candidates, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote, “All political parties and candidates going forward can compete equally under the same rules.”
What he didn’t mention is that according to OpenSecrets, not one of the top five 2023-24 American political donors gave to Democrats.
As ordinary Americans struggle with health care costs and millions suffer from record heat, the party of Big Oil, science denial and tax cuts for billionaires will now have equal footing with the party that gave us the Affordable Care Act and U.S. leadership in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement — a treaty President Trump abandoned.
Justice Kavanaugh’s words remind me of a quote from Anatole France: “The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich and the poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets and to steal bread.”
David Scott
Columbus, Ohio
The writer is a former president of the Sierra Club.
