Trump defends his family's million-dollar deals and rejects conflict-of-interest concerns

Trump pointed out that the presidency is so powerful and great that practically almost any action by his children could be considered a conflict of interest. This creates a difficult situation for his children. "Das Amt sei ‚so mächtig und so groß', dass praktisch fast jede Handlung seiner Kinder als Interessenkonflikt gewertet werden könnte," Trump formulated in the conversation with the network.

Restraint as advice

At the same time, Trump acknowledged that he generally advises his children to exercise restraint. "Grundsätzlich rate er seinen Kindern zu Zurückhaltung," the head of state said. However, he emphasized that his children also have their own lives. "Aber sie haben auch ein Leben. Sie haben lange Geschäfte gemacht (…), bevor ich daran gedacht habe, für die Präsidentschaft zu kandidieren," Trump explained.

The background to the debate is Trump's recently published financial disclosure. It shows that Trump earned more than one billion US dollars last year from crypto deals alone. The revenue came from a stake in a company belonging to the Trump family.

Financial dimension of the deals

Since his return to office, Trump's administration has significantly advanced the trading of digital currencies. This development coincides in timing with the president's massive crypto earnings and has drawn critics who see a direct connection between government decisions and family business dealings.

Trump dismissed such accusations once again. There was nothing prohibited about his crypto deals, he told CNBC. He saw neither a legal nor an ethical violation in his children's business activities and insisted on their right to pursue their own entrepreneurial endeavors.

At the same time, Trump described his children as competent businesspeople who had already been successful long before his political involvement. This was intended to underscore that the family has an independent economic foundation that exists separately from his political office.

Political reactions and criticism

Critics from Congress and from ethics law circles had repeatedly demanded in recent months that clearer rules be established to avoid conflicts of interest between the White House and the Trump family. To date, there is no publicly known legal regulation that obliges Trump personally to maintain a strict separation.

The discussion surrounding the Trump family's business dealings is not new. Similar questions were already raised during his first term. With the second term and the enormous increase in crypto earnings, however, the debate has reached a new dimension.

Trump himself appeared relaxed in the interview and addressed the anchor's questions directly. He repeatedly stated that there was no conflict of interest and that he did not need to know the details of the deals in order to act properly.

Tension between knowledge and non-knowledge

It is noteworthy that Trump conceded in the interview that he could well have knowledge of the deals – that is, that he does in fact possess information. This statement stands in a certain tension with his earlier statement that he has no knowledge of his own investments.

When asked, Trump explained that he is not involved in his children's day-to-day decisions. He leaves the management of the business to his children and trusts in their judgment. The separation is a practical decision so as not to burden family ties.

Observers interpret the interview as Trump's attempt to actively control the narrative surrounding his finances. In view of the ongoing discussions about transparency and possible entanglement between office and private business, the president evidently wanted to provide clarity early on.

Classification and outlook

Overall, it remains clear that Trump continues to present his family's business dealings as a legal and legitimate field. The financial disclosure, however, documents the dimension of these deals with a clarity that is likely to increase the pressure on the president.

The interview was recorded in the Oval Office of the White House, underscoring the political character of the remarks. It is not the first time that Trump has used media appearances to answer economic questions directly from the center of power.