This CSS code defines the “Guardian Headline Full” font family with various weights and styles, providing multiple file formats (WOFF2, WOFF, TTF) for each variant to ensure compatibility across different browsers.This CSS code defines several font faces for the “Guardian Headline Full” and “Guardian Titlepiece” font families. Each font face specifies different weights (like 300 for light, 400 for regular, 700 for bold, and 900 for black) and styles (normal or italic). They are sourced from various file formats (WOFF2, WOFF, and TrueType) hosted at specific URLs from the Guardian’s assets domain.This CSS code defines several font styles for the “Guardian Headline Full” font family. It includes regular, medium, semibold, bold, and black weights, each with normal and italic variants. For each style, it specifies the font files in WOFF2, WOFF, and TrueType formats, along with their corresponding font weight and style properties. The font files are hosted on the Guardian’s asset server.This text appears to be CSS code defining font styles and layout grids for a website, likely The Guardian’s. It specifies font files for different weights and styles, and sets up responsive grid layouts that change at various screen sizes. The code controls how content areas like titles, headlines, media, and body text are arranged across different device widths.For interactive grid figures with immersive captions in specific content areas, the caption padding is set to 4 pixels at the top and 0 elsewhere.
In various content sections, elements named “lines” and “meta” within interactive grids are positioned in the grid from row 2 to 5 and column 1 to 2. The “lines” elements adjust their height to fit their content and have a top margin of 5 pixels, while “meta” elements have an 18-pixel top margin.
On larger screens (81.25em and above), the interactive grids in these sections use a five-column layout with specific widths: 219px, 1px, 620px, 80px, and 300px.
For iOS and Android devices, article headers have customized styles:
– Standfirst paragraphs use specific serif fonts with medium weight.
– Section kickers are displayed as blocks and capitalize their first letter.
– Keylines have a top padding of 12 pixels.
– Author bylines use bold serif fonts, with links also in bold.
– Image figures have their height set to auto.
– Paragraphs following atomic figures have no top margin.
Additionally, custom font faces for “Guardian Headline Full” are defined with light and light italic weights, sourced from specific URLs in woff2, woff, and truetype formats.This text defines several font styles for the “Guardian Headline Full” font family, specifying different weights and styles (normal and italic) along with their source files in various formats (WOFF2, WOFF, and TrueType). Each entry includes the font’s weight and style, and points to where the font files can be found online.This CSS code defines font styles and layout adjustments for a website, likely for The Guardian. It specifies custom fonts with different weights and styles, including regular and italic versions, and sets responsive design rules for various screen sizes. The layout adjusts margins, widths, and positioning for elements like columns, atoms, showcases, and immersive sections to ensure proper display across devices. It also includes media queries to handle different viewport widths, ensuring elements resize and reposition appropriately for mobile, tablet, and desktop screens. Additionally, it sets colors for datelines, headers, captions, and features, and defines padding and margins for content elements to maintain a consistent and readable layout.The first paragraph after specific elements like sign-in gates, horizontal rules, or initial atoms in various content areas (such as article bodies, interactive content, comments, features, and data-gu-named sections) gets a top padding of 14 pixels.
For the first letter of these paragraphs, it uses the Guardian Headline or similar serif fonts in bold, with a large font size of 111 pixels and a line height of 92 pixels. It’s styled to float left, be uppercase, have an 8-pixel right margin, align to the top, and take the color from a CSS variable for drop caps.
Paragraphs following horizontal rules have no top padding.
Elements with the data attribute for pullquotes are limited to a maximum width of 620 pixels.
In showcase elements within main content, feature articles, standard articles, and comment sections, captions are positioned statically, spanning the full width up to 620 pixels.
Immersive elements extend to the full viewport width minus the scrollbar. On screens smaller than 71.24 em, they are constrained to a maximum width of 978 pixels, and their captions have inline padding.This appears to be CSS code for responsive web design, setting different styles for various screen sizes. It defines how page elements like headlines, images, and captions should appear and adjust across devices from mobile to desktop. The code uses media queries to apply specific layouts, spacing, borders, and grid structures when the viewport meets certain width conditions.The grid layout uses five equal-width columns for the title, headline, and standfirst sections, followed by eight equal-width columns for the portrait section. Rows are defined with specific heights for the title, headline, standfirst, and meta areas.
For meta elements, a fixed width of 620px is set, while standfirst content is slightly offset to the left. Labels in the title and headline have minimal top padding.
Headlines are bold with a maximum width of 620px and a font size of 32px, increasing to 50px with a narrower width on larger screens. On medium screens, right margins are removed for lines, and lines are hidden on wider displays, with their color matching the header border.
Meta sections also lose their right margin on medium screens, and social and comment elements share the header border color. Some meta components are hidden.
Standfirst text is indented and positioned relatively, with normal weight, 20px font size, and bottom padding. On medium screens, it gains top padding.
Main media is placed in the portrait grid area, initially with no top margin and a small bottom margin, expanding to full width with adjusted margins on smaller screens. Captions are positioned at the bottom with a background color and text color, hiding the first span and displaying the second. A caption toggle button is positioned at the bottom right with a circular background.
On extra-large screens, the main content column is adjusted with a modified top position and height.The main column’s interactive headings have a maximum width of 620 pixels. For iOS and Android devices, the color scheme uses dark backgrounds and specific accent colors, which adjust in dark mode.
On these mobile platforms, the first letter of the first paragraph in various article types is styled with a secondary color. Article headers are hidden, while furniture wrappers have minimal padding. Labels within these wrappers are bold, use a specific font family, and are colored according to the current theme, with headlines set to a dark gray color and a large, bold font size.For iOS and Android devices, the following styles apply to article containers (feature, standard, and comment):
– Image elements within the furniture wrapper are positioned relatively, with a top margin of 14px, a left margin of -10px, and a width that spans the full viewport minus the scrollbar width. Their height adjusts automatically.
– The inner figure, image, and link elements have a transparent background, match the full viewport width minus the scrollbar, and maintain an automatic height.
– Standfirst sections have top padding of 4px, bottom padding of 24px, and a right margin of -10px.
– Paragraphs inside the standfirst use the Guardian Headline font family or fallback serif fonts.
– Links within the standfirst, including those in list items, inherit these styles.For comment article containers, links in the standfirst are styled with a specific color, underlined with an offset, and no background image or border. On iOS and Android devices, hovering over these links in feature, standard, or comment articles changes the underline color to match the pillar color. Additionally, the meta section in these articles has no margin, and elements like bylines and author links use the pillar color for text. The meta miscellaneous area has no padding.For iOS and Android devices, the following styles apply to feature, standard, and comment article containers:
– SVG icons in the meta miscellaneous section use the new pillar color for strokes.
– The caption button in showcase elements is displayed as a flex container, centered with 5px padding, 28px dimensions, and positioned 14px from the right.
– The article body has 12px horizontal padding.
– Non-thumbnail, non-immersive images in the article body have no margin, a width calculated as the viewport width minus 24px and scrollbar width, and auto height, with no padding in their captions.
– Immersive images span the full viewport width minus the scrollbar width.
– Quoted blockquotes in the prose section have a before pseudo-element styled accordingly.For iOS and Android devices, the styling of quoted text and links in articles is adjusted. Quoted text uses a specific color, while links are underlined with a particular color and offset. When hovered over, the link underline changes to a different color.
In dark mode, the background of article headers becomes dark gray. Labels, headlines, and introductory text adopt specific colors for better contrast. Links and author names within these sections are also styled to maintain readability and consistency with the overall design.This CSS code defines styles for different article containers on Android and iOS devices. It sets the color of author bylines and quoted text to a specific variable, applies a stroke color to certain icons, and changes the caption color for showcase images. Additionally, it ensures that the background color for various content areas uses a dark theme, and it styles the first letter of paragraphs following specific elements.This appears to be a CSS selector targeting the first letter of paragraphs that follow specific elements within various article containers on iOS and Android devices. The selector applies to different sections like feature articles, standard articles, and comment sections, focusing on paragraphs that come after elements with classes like “element-atom” or IDs like “sign-in-gate.”For Android and iOS devices, the first letter of paragraphs following specific elements in various article containers will be styled with a custom color variable, defaulting to white.For comment articles on both iOS and Android, the standfirst element has a top padding of 24 pixels and no top margin. Headings at level 2 in prose are set to 24 pixels in size.
Caption buttons in feature, standard, and comment articles have different padding: 6 pixels top, 5 pixels sides, and 0 bottom on iOS, while Android uses 4 pixels top and sides with 0 bottom.
In dark mode, various text and icon colors are adjusted for better readability, such as using light gray for follow text and standfirst, with specific colors for links and bylines.
When the furniture wrapper includes a Guardian organization logo, the branding island is displayed prominently.
Labels and headlines in article containers are given a medium font weight for emphasis.
The page background for weekend essays is set to a light pink shade (#fff4f2), which also applies to article sections and sub-meta backgrounds.
Lines are hidden in the layout, and the furniture wrapper is positioned relatively. On larger screens, it uses a grid layout with defined rows for title, headline, standfirst, and meta sections.
The article header or title area has a fixed height of 70 pixels and includes content labels with a background image of a book GIF in the bottom-right corner, which enlarges on wider screens. A horizontal line is added below the labels, spanning the viewport width minus the scrollbar, with adjustments for medium and larger screens.For screens wider than 71.25em, the furniture wrapper’s article header and title element will have a height of 80px, increasing to 125px for screens over 81.25em. On these larger screens, the headline, its data attribute counterpart, and headline class will have a top margin of -2px.
Within the furniture wrapper, the headline, its data attribute version, and headline class all have inner divs with no bottom padding. Their portrait main media headline wrapper is set to full height, relatively positioned, hidden overflow, and 24px bottom padding. Headlines and links inside these wrappers have no maximum width and display a 2px thick underline with a 6px offset on hover.
Text elements like h1, links, and byline spans in the portrait main media headline wrapper use a 115% line height, medium font weight, and 36px font size, scaling up to 50px for screens wider than 71.25em.
The standfirst section and its equivalents are relatively positioned with a 4px top padding, which becomes 0 for screens over 61.25em and 2px for those over 71.25em.
In the meta section, branding islands within the content meta container are displayed as blocks.The furniture-wrapper positions media elements relatively. On larger screens (over 61.25em), it assigns them to the portrait grid area.
Within the media container, divs are positioned relatively, and spans following divs are displayed as blocks. Figures take full height with a left margin.
Images and captions adjust their width based on the viewport minus scrollbar width, with consistent margins and padding. Captions have additional bottom margin and padding.
A decorative frame is added as a background image before each figure, sized to fit the container and centered.
For medium screens (over 46.25em), figures lose their left margin, while images and captions adopt fixed widths and adjusted padding. The frame width increases and shifts left.
On larger screens (over 61.25em), the frame narrows, and images and captions resize with no left margin and reduced padding.
At even wider breakpoints (71.25em and 81.25em), the frame, images, and captions scale up in width with fine-tuned margins and padding.
The caption button is positioned at the bottom right, with its placement adjusting at different screen sizes for optimal placement.For the main media caption button and furniture wrapper media caption button, position them 30px from the bottom. In the furniture wrapper, center the no-media division both horizontally and vertically, making it full width. Style the paragraph inside with a 24px font size, bold weight, 115% line height, colored by the byline anchor variable, underlined, and displayed as a block.
On screens wider than 71.25em, adjust the interactive main column to have no left margin and hide its before pseudo-element. Set the background color of supporting asides containing blockquotes to the weekend essay background or a light pink. For the first paragraph’s first letter, use a light font weight. In cases with specific preceding elements or a drop-cap class, style the first letter with a large, uppercase, floated appearance in a headline font and drop cap color.
Style level 2 headings with a dark orange color, 28px font size (32px on larger screens), light weight, normal line height, and bottom margin. If a heading contains strong text, increase its weight. For figures with iframes, apply the weekend essay background color.
On apps and specific operating systems, display the follow wrapper in the byline with a top margin and set its span font size to 14px. Ensure media elements in the main media area fit their content width. In dark mode, adjust the article section and weekend essay backgrounds to a dark gray, and modify the article header and content labels accordingly.For Android apps, the article header and title labels display a white book icon as their background image.
In apps, the follow button’s icon in the byline section is set to white or a custom color.
A white frame image is applied as the background for main media figures in apps.
Mobile devices (iOS and Android) use a white background.
On mobile, article labels and headlines are displayed with medium font weight.
In light mode, mobile pages have a light pink background.
Mobile devices use specific orange colors for opinion pieces and bylines.
In dark mode, mobile devices switch to a dark gray background and a brighter orange for opinion content.
Mobile article containers have a light pink background.
On larger screens, mobile article layouts use a two-column grid with a 20px gap between columns.The grid layout is defined with five equal columns starting from the title and ending at the portrait section. Rows are structured as follows: the title and portrait begin at a quarter fraction, followed by the headline at one fraction, the standfirst at 1.25 fractions, and metadata with automatic height, concluding with the portrait.
On iOS and Android devices, the title and GIF wrapper within the furniture container for feature, standard, and comment articles is displayed as a flexible row layout, spaced apart and relatively positioned.
Labels in this wrapper have a font size of 17 pixels, normal style, bold weight, and a line height of 115%.
Links within these labels are colored using a CSS variable for the new pillar color (defaulting to #c74600) and have no text transformation applied.
The GIF container and its images are set to 70 pixels in both width and height.
Additionally, specific GIF containers or images with the class “book-gif-white” maintain these dimensions.For Android devices, hide the white book GIFs in feature, standard, and comment article containers.
In dark mode:
– On iOS and Android, hide regular book GIFs in all article types
– On iOS and Android, show white book GIFs in all article types
For iOS and Android, add a thin gray line at the bottom of title and GIF wrappers in all article containers.
On larger screens (61.25em and above), apply specific styling to title and GIF wrappers in iOS feature and standard article containers.For iOS and Android devices, the title and GIF wrapper in furniture sections for feature, standard, and comment articles is assigned to the grid area named “title.”
On iOS devices, after the title and GIF wrapper in furniture sections for feature, standard, and comment articles, the width is set to 50 viewport width units.
In dark mode, the background color after these wrappers on iOS and Android devices changes to #606060.
For screens wider than 61.25 em, the portrait main media headline wrapper in furniture sections for feature, standard, and comment articles on iOS and Android devices is placed in the grid area called “headline.”
Headlines, bylines, and their links in furniture sections for feature, standard, and comment articles on iOS and Android devices have a font size of 36 pixels, normal style, medium weight, and a line height of 115%.For iOS and Android devices, the author byline text and links in feature, standard, and comment article containers are styled with a red color (#c70000) or a custom pillar color. In dark mode, this changes to a darker orange (#c74600) with higher priority. Author avatars are hidden in these sections, and article headlines have no bottom margin or padding. The byline text is displayed in italics.For iOS and Android devices, the following styles apply to feature, standard, and comment article containers:
– Author bylines use a normal font style.
– The main media area adjusts its height automatically with a 4:5 aspect ratio and a transparent background.
– Figures within the main media take up the full height and have no left margin.
– The inner components of figures and elements are positioned at the top left, with transparent backgrounds, no padding, and visible overflow.
– Images inside these elements span the viewport width minus 40 pixels, centered with 20-pixel left margins and 25-pixel top margins.For images within article containers on iOS and Android devices, add a 13px top margin.
Set figure captions in these containers to adjust their height automatically.
Make all caption text and its elements display as blocks, remove height limits, position them relatively, and use a custom color (defaulting to #999).
On screens wider than 46.25em, remove maximum width restrictions for figures and adjust their positioning by setting the left offset to 10px with a calculated width.For iOS and Android devices, the main images in feature, standard, and comment articles have specific styling adjustments across different screen sizes:
On smaller screens, images are set to the viewport width minus 60 pixels, with 30 pixels left margin and 40 pixels top margin.
For screens 61.25em and wider:
– Container width becomes half the viewport minus adjustments for scrollbars
– Images resize to half the viewport width with reduced margins
– Height adjusts automatically with minimal top spacing
At 71.25em and above, container positioning shifts upward by 4 pixels.
For screens 81.25em and larger:
– Containers move 20 pixels left
– Images become narrower with adjusted margins
– Negative top margin and added padding create overlapping effects
Dark mode preferences are also accounted for in the styling.For iOS and Android devices, the first image in feature, standard, and comment articles has a white frame background and specific styling. On smaller screens, the image spans almost the full width with padding. On wider screens (over 61.25em), the image width reduces to half the viewport with adjusted margins and auto height. For even larger screens (over 81.25em), the width is further reduced and the image is shifted upward slightly.For the main media figure that is the first image, set its height to 100% and maximum width to 620px.
On iOS and Android devices, for feature, standard, and comment articles, adjust the first image’s pseudo-element to have a width of half the viewport minus 20px and the scrollbar width, align it to the left, and set its height to 100%.
When the screen width is at least 81.25em, shift this pseudo-element 20px to the left.
At a minimum width of 46.25em, position the caption button 45px from the bottom.
For screens 61.25em or wider, assign the main media to the portrait grid area, limit its maximum width to 620px, and set its height to auto.
For all figure elements in these article types on iOS and Android, make them relatively positioned and remove the top margin.
Inside these figures, position the inner element absolutely, 15px from the top and 20px from the left, with a width of the full viewport minus 40px and an automatic height.
Ensure that images within these inner elements are displayed correctly.Images within figure elements are set to cover their entire container, maintaining their aspect ratio.
On iOS and Android devices, the caption button in article figures is positioned 24 pixels from the right and 20 pixels from the bottom.
For screens wider than 46.25em, the inner figure container adjusts to 680 pixels wide with automatic height, positioned 10 pixels from the top and left edges, while the caption button moves to 25 pixels from the bottom.
On screens wider than 61.25em, the figure element itself becomes half the viewport width minus 20 pixels and any scrollbar width.
In article standfirst sections on iOS and Android, top margins are removed, with 8 pixels of padding added to the top and 10 pixels to the right. Any preceding decorative elements are hidden, and text elements like paragraphs, links, and list items maintain consistent styling.For Android devices, the text in the standfirst section of feature, standard, and comment articles should be 20px in size, with a normal style, medium weight, 115% line height, and no bottom padding.
On screens wider than 61.25em, the standfirst area is placed in the ‘standfirst’ grid area for both iOS and Android.
The meta section in these articles has no top padding. The published date within the meta section includes a thin gray line below it, which spans the full viewport width on smaller screens but reduces to half the viewport width on screens wider than 61.25em.
On very large screens (over 81.25em), additional miscellaneous meta elements are styled similarly.For iOS and Android devices, the following styles apply:
– Remove left margin from meta misc elements.
– In dark mode, set the background color of published date separators to #606060.
– Hide meta and keyline pseudo-elements.
– Conceal rich link elements.
– Remove cutout containers from comment headers.
– Set article body backgrounds to a weekend essay color (defaulting to #fff4f2) with a top margin of 6px.
– Style horizontal rules as 1px high, gray lines, 150px wide, with specific spacing.
– Format drop caps in headlines with large, uppercase, floated letters in a specified color.
– Apply medium font weight to strong or bold text within h2 headings.
These adjustments ensure consistent styling across mobile platforms and color schemes.In dark mode, horizontal rules in article and feature bodies on iOS and Android devices display with a gray background. The first letter following these rules in paragraphs is highlighted in a custom color. Links within paragraphs have no underline.
For the first paragraph after specific elements, the initial letter is styled with medium font weight. In comment sections, the first letter after certain elements appears in a lighter font weight without top padding.
Headings on both iOS and Android are styled with a burnt orange color, 28px font size, light weight, and specific spacing. On Android, a cutout container is hidden.
In dark mode, gradient effects are applied to headline wrappers, and first letters in non-initial paragraphs of comments are white. Comment headings use a variable orange color.
When scripting is enabled, interactive content and headers start invisible and fade in smoothly after loading.
A Balkan prosecutor pushing for justice faces pressure to abandon a major case. Vietnamese communities discover they’ll be displaced from their homes. A convicted cryptocurrency leader in the Gulf region is granted clemency.
These seemingly unrelated events share a connection: each appears linked to the Trump family’s worldwide pursuit of wealth. As Donald Trump marked one year since his re-election, concerns have intensified that his leveraging of presidential authority for personal benefit is undermining American democratic foundations. Yet the broader, and potentially more severe, consequences are the global repercussions of these actions.
Don Jr. and Eric Trump, the official stewards of the family enterprise, are aggressively pursuing international business deals. They have initiatedThe Trump family has broken ground on new golf courses, obtained permits for new skyscrapers, licensed the Trump brand, and entered the cryptocurrency space with a venture that could generate more revenue than all their previous endeavors combined.
Eric Trump maintains that a “huge wall” separates these business activities from his father’s role as president, stating, “Nothing I do has anything to do with the White House.”
However, critics like Kristofer Harrison, a former senior foreign policy official under President George W. Bush who now leads the anti-corruption Dekleptocracy Project, accuse the Trumps of running a “pay to play” system that rewards those who engage with the president’s family. Harrison warns this could be exploited by rival powers such as China, claiming, “Trump has made authoritarians’ wildest dreams come true.”
While the White House denies any conflicts of interest, and no explicit quid pro quos have been proven, the family’s business dealings raise concerns about overturned convictions, transfers of sensitive technology, eased tariffs, and new alliances. Ethics experts fear that even the appearance of using public office for private gain—commonly viewed as corruption—could encourage other leaders to follow suit.
During Trump’s first term, worries centered on foreign leaders booking expensive stays at his Washington hotel to funnel money to him. He initially promised no overseas family business deals but has since abandoned that pledge. Although the president placed his stakes in the family businesses in a trust, his financial disclosures indicate he still receives profits.
The Trumps’ closest allies, both in business and politics, have long been the Gulf’s petro-monarchs, who blend state and family interests. Their business in the region has accelerated recently, with a golf course in Oman and apartments for sale in Dubai. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer remarked that Trump’s May trip to the Middle East seemed “less like a presidential visit and more like a personal business venture.”
In Qatar, a golf resort deal with a state company in April was followed by the gift of a “flying palace” for Trump to use as Air Force One, and then by a commitment of U.S. troops to defend the country in October. In Saudi Arabia, where golf and hotel projects are underway, news of another potential venture emerged just before Trump agreed to sell F-35 fighter jets to the kingdom.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and occasional envoy, defended these relationships, saying, “What people call conflicts of interest … I call experience and trusted relationships that we have throughout the world.” The Saudis have invested billions in his fund.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to inquiries by stating, “The media’s continued attempts to fabricate conflicts of interest are irresponsible and reinforce the public’s distrust in what they read. Neither the president nor his family have ever engaged, or will ever engage, in conflicts of interest.”
Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security adviser to Barack Obama, described the Trump approach as “nothing more than an old-fashioned grift tethered to a superpower.” He added, “It’s incalculable what damage we are now seeing,” and believes that “corruption is now the norm in geopolitics.”
‘Atmosphere of lynching’
[Image: Protesters in Serbia objecting to the fast-tracking of a Trump building in Belgrade.]On a foggy morning in Belgrade two weeks after Trump’s victory last November, Estela Radonjic Zivkov arrived at her office to find two officers from Serbia’s state security agency waiting for her. Zivkov is the deputy head of the institute responsible for protecting historical sites. “The work I do is deeply rewarding,” she said. “It allows me to preserve cultural heritage in the most meaningful and responsible way.”
The agents introduced themselves politely but issued a warning: do not oppose the decision to demolish one of the capital’s most significant sites to make way for a hotel and tower. The building in question was the former Yugoslav army headquarters, which had been bombed during NATO’s offensive to force Slobodan Milošević’s troops out of Kosovo.
The agents emphasized that there was a “state interest” in the project. An agreement reviewed by the Guardian designates it as one of “special significance.” These were no ordinary developers. The Trump Tower Belgrade, a $500 million hotel and apartment complex, would bring “unrivalled luxury” to the Serbian capital.
Aleksandar Vučić, the authoritarian former Milošević propagandist who has ruled Serbia since 2017, needed allies. Mass protests against corruption were growing. His years of cultivating ties with Vladimir Putin had left him with few friends in the West. But he had some. Jared Kushner had visited months earlier to advance the project, which only needed official approval.
When the agents appeared at Zivkov’s office, she found the security service’s involvement in cultural matters “unusual and worrying.” Ignoring their warning, she spoke out, but it was in vain. The site’s protected status was revoked. In March, Don Jr. flew in for what Vučić described as a “cordial conversation about bilateral relations between Serbia and the USA.” They chatted warmly on Don’s podcast.
However, the Trump Tower Belgrade project soon faced uncertainty. Mladen Nenadić, the chief organized crime prosecutor, arrested the head of the heritage institute, who admitted to forging documents to cancel the site’s protected status. As the investigation progressed, a former official implicated senior allies of Vučić.
The regime retaliated with a state media campaign against the prosecutor, who had also charged a former minister in a separate case. In early November, the national prosecutors’ office criticized Vučić for his comments about “corrupt gangs” of prosecutors bringing “fabricated cases,” stating that the president was “trying to exert unauthorized influence” on the investigation by creating an “atmosphere of lynching.”
On November 7, Vučić’s supporters in parliament passed a law to facilitate the progress of the Trump Tower. That Trump’s family…It seems clear that Serbia is receiving special treatment, but what the Serbian regime might have given in return remains uncertain. Siniša Mali, the finance minister and a close ally of President Vučić, stated, “When it comes to relations with the new U.S. administration, it’s clear that the Trump real estate project had no impact on recent policy decisions.” Serbia faces a 35% tariff rate, which is among the highest imposed by Trump. In October, the U.S. sanctioned the Russian oil company that supplies most of Serbia’s fuel. Mali told the Guardian that claims of “undue influence” lack evidence.
Serbia’s neighbors include fragile democracies both inside and outside the EU, such as Romania and Albania. In recent months, the Trump family has announced property ventures in both countries and has ambitious plans in places with even weaker institutions.
The phrase “You scratch my back, I scratch yours” aptly describes the situation. Eric Trump was warmly welcomed at a groundbreaking ceremony for a golf resort in Vietnam, where he was showered with gold and silver confetti. Standing alongside the prime minister, he appeared delighted. While securing permits for property developments in Vietnam typically takes years due to bureaucratic hurdles, the Trump venture was approved in just three months.
Vietnamese officials noted in a document obtained by the New York Times that the project had received personal attention from President Donald Trump and his administration. They feared that adhering strictly to planning rules would cause delays that could harm Vietnam’s relations with the U.S., especially with Trump’s administration. As a result, legally required scrutiny, including an environmental review, was cut short.
According to presidential filings, Trump received an immediate $5 million from a local developer to license his name. In contrast, villagers near Hanoi, whose farms are being bulldozed to make way for a “nature-themed” golf course, are being compensated as little as $12 per square meter and some rice. A farmer in the one-party state lamented, “We have no right to negotiate.”
In April, just before Eric attended the groundbreaking, his father imposed steep import tariffs, with Vietnam facing a rate of 46%, one of the highest. In May, Trump’s trade negotiator met with Vietnamese officials. Shortly after, Eric arrived, waved to locals, and proceeded with the groundbreaking. By July, Vietnam had secured a tariff deal with the U.S., reducing its rate to 20%, more than half the previous amount.
There is no evidence that the tariff reduction was a direct reward for business favors. The cut provided relief for many Vietnamese who rely on the manufacturing export industry. However, questions linger. Analysts warn that this style of deal-making, which raises suspicions that political favors are for sale, could undermine anti-corruption reforms that had been gaining traction.
Kimberly Kay Hoang, a Vietnam expert at the University of Chicago and author of Spiderweb Capitalism, noted that Vietnam’s rulers are using the same strategy with Trump as they do with China: “You scratch my back, I scratch yours, we are going to do these deals, and a small number of people will benefit.”
The Trumps have property ventures in India, the Philippines, and South Korea—all major exporters threatened by his tariffs.
In terms of income, Reuters calculates that the Trumps’ earnings in the first half of this year surged 17-fold, from $51 million a year earlier to $864 million. Over 90% of this came not from real estate but from cryptocurrency. While the Trumps’ representatives have questioned these figures, it’s evident that this new frontier is proving remarkably profitable.The venture proved highly profitable for them. When Trump introduced World Liberty Financial just two months before his re-election, he stated it would help establish “America as the global crypto capital.” Three of his sons—Don Jr, Eric, and Barron, who is 19 with an estimated net worth of $150 million—are listed as co-founders, as was Trump himself until he took office.
Four months into Trump’s second term, World Liberty announced that its USD1 digital currency had been chosen for a massive transaction. Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, was selling a stake to MGX, a state-owned fund from the United Arab Emirates. While the $2 billion price could have been paid in traditional dollars, Binance instead received 2 million newly created USD1 tokens.
Since USD1 is a stablecoin—cryptocurrency backed by real currency—World Liberty holds one dollar in reserve for every token it issues. The company earns income from interest and investment returns on these reserves. The $2 billion increase in reserves from this single deal could generate tens of millions annually for the Trump family business.
Around this time, Binance’s extremely wealthy Chinese-born founder, Changpeng Zhao (commonly known as CZ), made a request to Trump. Zhao had recently completed a four-month sentence in a California prison for violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws. Prosecutors had argued that by allowing sanctioned Russians, al-Qaida, and others to move illegal funds through Binance—resulting in a $4 billion fine—the exchange had caused “significant harm to U.S. national security.”
After his release, Zhao returned to his home in the UAE. His criminal record appeared to hinder Binance’s efforts to reestablish operations in the U.S. He applied for a pardon in May, coinciding with revelations about the $2 billion USD1 transaction. On October 23, Zhao posted on X: “Deeply grateful for today’s pardon and to President Trump for upholding America’s commitment to fairness, innovation, and justice.”
World Liberty’s legal representatives informed the Guardian that publishing any “narrative suggesting a quid pro quo between CZ and President Trump” would involve “extraordinary risks.” They maintained there was a legitimate business rationale for conducting the Binance stake sale in USD1 and denied reports that Binance had requested the Emiratis use the cryptocurrency, citing a statement from the UAE side confirming they had chosen USD1 for the transaction.
When questioned about Zhao’s pardon, Trump claimed he had “no idea who he is,” adding, “I gave him a pardon at the request of many good people.” This response raises questions about whether the pardon was connected to the $2 billion deal. Similar questions surround the UAE’s decision to use USD1. Shortly afterward, Trump granted the UAE access to highly sought-after U.S. AI chip technology.
The perception that Trump’s favors can be purchased appears to be reshaping international diplomacy. In Indonesia, the environment ministry has suspended work on a Trump resort project. During October’s Gaza summit in Egypt, an open microphone captured Indonesia’s president urgently discussing what seemed to be his family’s business interests with Trump. “Can I meet Eric?” Prabowo Subianto asked. Trump replied, “I’ll have Eric call. He’s such a good boy.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about how the Trump family profited from the presidency with clear and direct answers
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What does profiting from the presidency mean in this context
It refers to the ways the Trump familys businesses and brand earned money directly or indirectly as a result of Donald Trump being President This includes foreign governments spending money at his properties increased business from political allies and valuable publicity for the Trump brand
2 Was it illegal for the President to own a business
No it is not explicitly illegal However the President is exempt from a key federal conflictofinterest law that applies to all other federal employees This created numerous ethical concerns about whether his business decisions were influenced by or influencing his policy decisions
3 What is the Emoluments Clause
Its a part of the US Constitution that prohibits federal officials including the President from accepting gifts or payments from foreign or domestic governments without Congresss consent Critics argued that payments from foreign governments to Trumpowned properties violated this clause
4 Can you give a simple example of how this profiting happened
Yes For example when foreign diplomats or political groups chose to stay at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC their payments went directly to a business owned by the Trump family This was seen as a way to curry favor with the administration by putting money in the Presidents pocket
Intermediate Advanced Questions
5 What specific properties or businesses saw increased profits
The most notable were the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC MaraLago club in Florida and Trump Tower in New York These locations became hubs for lobbyists foreign officials and political events leading to a significant surge in revenue
6 Did his childrens business dealings play a role
Yes While serving in unofficial White House roles Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr continued to manage parts of the business empire Ivanka for instance received numerous valuable trademarks from China for her brand during her fathers presidency raising conflictofinterest questions
7 What about domestic profiting not just from foreign governments
Domestic profiting was also a major issue For example Republican campaigns political action committees and lobbyists spent millions of dollars at Trump properties effectively funneling political donations into
