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Sunday, October 04, 2026

Donald Trump's Empire of Grift

Far-right ideologues have transformed American foreign policy into a tool of private gain and antidemocratic reaction.

Posted by retort at 08:33 AM | 16 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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retort

Joined 2003/04/04
Visited 2003/04/04

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The far-right ideologues and grifters running U.S. foreign policy are the vanguard of a movement that will alter not just America but the world, @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu reports.

[image or embed]

-- The Atlantic (@theatlantic.com) 5:15 AM · Oct 3, 2026

Comments

Admin's note: Participants in this discussion must follow the site's moderation policy. Profanity will be filtered. Abusive conduct is not allowed.

I've never seen MAGA admit that Donald is a thief. But I have never seen them deny it, either. I suppose this issue is in the Phantom Zone for them. Like so much else is.

I'm not sure how anyone can be completely real with this attitude. But then again, being real isn't a value MAGA has.

#1 | Posted by Zed at 2026-10-04 09:55 AM | Reply

"At the CIA, I was an Iraq specialist. I spent a lot of time in Baghdad.
Saddam Hussein would spit out his tea at the amount of money Trump has stolen from his own people."

~Elissa Slotkin~

#2 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2026-10-04 10:03 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

This is all one big deflection to the 100s of Billions of dollars in GRIFT and CORRUPTION permeating the US Federal/State/Local governments on a yearly basis.

#3 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-10-04 10:25 AM | Reply | Funny: 2

CSAMRUNT simps for the------------ who steals from cancer charities.

#4 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2026-10-04 10:29 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

This is all one big deflection

#3 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

If you were to admit that Donald Trump steals for a living, your entire life would come tumbling down.

#5 | Posted by Zed at 2026-10-04 10:33 AM | Reply

3 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

Donald Trump has stolen from cancer charities.

Now, you can't tell me that you don't know about it.

Any honest man would be done with Trump simply because of that.

Way to own what you are. Good job.

#6 | Posted by Zed at 2026-10-04 10:34 AM | Reply

INut posts a Deflection about the thead article whining that it's somehow a Deflection?

You can't make this stuff up!

#7 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-04 10:47 AM | Reply

Hey, if you've got no argument, just make ---- up. Imbecile

#8 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-10-04 11:23 AM | Reply

This is all one big deflection

#3 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

You've been nothing but one big deflection since you arrived here.

DJT is nothing but one big deflection from the path America should be taking.

Welcome to America and please respect and Enjoy the Great American FAFO.

#9 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-10-04 11:36 AM | Reply

DJT has surrounded himself with the selfish Prosperity Gospel fanatics that apparently see his Grift as proof of his 'Kingship', and see the People as a source of wealth to be taken advantage of.

What does their book say about how a King should rule?

"Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.

May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.

May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor."

"For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.

He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.

He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight."

"Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed."

(excerpts)

www.biblegateway.com

#10 | Posted by Corky at 2026-10-04 11:45 AM | Reply

Sun Tzu put it slightly differently (without all the religious dogma).

In Sun Tzu's strategic framework, the Moral Law is not a religious code, but rather the shared purpose, trust, and psychological ALIGNMENT between a leader and their people. When this harmony is achieved, an organization or army develops absolute unity and resilience under pressure.

"The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger."

"The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success."

This is why the Iran War of choice (for the President ) is a total disaster for America. Because America did not choose this war.

#11 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-10-04 11:59 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

The Iran war is not a war of choice it is a war of aggression

It is a crime against humanity and America deserves to suffer

Piggy fully intended on stealing Iran's natural resources like he is doing with Venezuela

#12 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-10-04 12:07 PM | Reply

A war of aggression is widely recognized in international law as the supreme international crime

For all other crimes are birthed therefrom

#13 | Posted by truthhurts at 2026-10-04 12:09 PM | Reply

"The Iran war is not a war of choice it is a war of aggression ... "

Trumpy chose to be aggressive. We were not under attack and there was no IMMINENT THREAT.

A war of choice. And honestly? It doesn't seem very "aggressive" to me ATM.

#14 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-10-04 12:30 PM | Reply

And....Jeff runs away like the gutless midget coward he is.

#15 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-10-04 02:47 PM | Reply

Bottomless...

AI Overview

Donald Trump did not directly steal cash from a kids' cancer charity, but an extensive investigation by Forbes revealed that he commanded his for-profit businesses to charge the charity high venue costs, effectively shifting donor money meant for cancer research into Trump Organization revenue.
The mechanics of how these charitable funds were funneled into Trump businesses involve several key components:

High Fees Charged to the Eric Trump Foundation

Flipping on free use: Eric Trump originally ran an annual charity golf tournament at the Trump National Golf Club to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, telling donors the venue was used 100% free of charge.

The demand for billing: According to former club officials, Donald Trump threw a tantrum about the lack of a paper trail and ordered the club to start billing the charity.

Skyrocketing costs: Golf tournament expenses paid by the charity to the Trump Organization spiked from $59,000 to $322,000 per year. Experts noted these costs defied any reasonable justification for a one-day tournament. More than $1.2 million in charity expenses went directly into the Trump Organization.

Cross-Foundation Funneling
Using another charity's money: To offset the newly imposed venue fees, the Donald J. Trump Foundation funneled $100,000 into the Eric Trump Foundation.

The financial loop: This maneuver effectively took money given by outside donors to Donald's foundation and transferred it through Eric's charity to become direct revenue for Donald's private golf course.

Re-Donations to Interconnected Charities

Paying for business: Over $500,000 raised by the kids' cancer charity was re-donated to other family-connected charities.

Guaranteed return: At least four of those secondary groups subsequently paid to hold their own golf tournaments at Trump courses, routing money back into Trump properties.

Wider Legal Fallout

While the Forbes report exposed the children's cancer charity pipeline, it triggered wider scrutiny into Donald Trump's overall charitable practices.

In a separate but related 2019 lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General, a judge ordered Trump to pay $2 million in court-ordered damages for persistently misusing his personal foundation's funds. Trump admitted to using his charity as a "piggy bank" to fund his 2016 political campaign, buy personal sports memorabilia, and even purchase a $10,000 portrait of himself. The Donald J. Trump Foundation was subsequently dissolved under court supervision.

AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

#16 | Posted by South_American at 2026-10-04 09:46 PM | Reply

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