A Merchant King in the White House

By George Washington, a Founding Father and  the First President of United States (1732-1799)

In the year 1776, we fought to free ourselves not only from tyranny but from corruption—a government built on personal interest rather than public duty. Today, I fear we are watching that same corruption take root in new and modern forms.

A report by the Financial Times, as well as a plainspoken dispatch by a modern pamphleteer—Mr. John Polonis of The Political Prism—lay bare evidence most troubling. It is alleged that on April 9, the sitting President of the United States, Mr. Donald Trump, announced a temporary pause in sweeping tariffs, thereby reversing a policy that had shaken global markets and battered American portfolios. Moments before this announcement, unusual trades were made—bets on the market’s swift rise. And rise it did. The profit was instantaneous, monstrous, and—if true—calculated.

Mere minutes before his announcement, an enormous number of trades were made on two stock indexes: SPY (which tracks the largest 500 U.S. companies) and QQQ (which follows top technology companies). These trades weren’t cautious investments. They were high-risk bets that the market would suddenly jump—bets that paid off within hours.

In the sanctum of the Oval Office that I once held with grave solemnity, President Trump is said to have congratulated two acquaintances on having made over $3 billion in profits that very day. His words were not of mourning for the whiplash endured by ordinary citizens, nor concern for the integrity of our markets. They were, allegedly: “Not bad.”

This alone should raise alarm. This is not commerce. This is not policy. This is the quiet plunder of a nation under the cloak of executive authority.

A Financial Times investigation uncovered yet more troubling information: President Trump’s crypto project, $TRUMP, earned at least $350 million in just three weeks. His team launched the coin just before his return to the White House. Although marketed as separate from him, 80% of the coin is controlled by entities tied to his organization. Much of the profit was generated by selling to retail investors—everyday Americans encouraged to “GET YOUR $TRUMP NOW” via social media.

Let us be clear: these are not the actions of a public servant. These are the maneuvers of a merchant king.

In my time, we had no blockchain or options markets. But we had principles. We believed leaders must never use the power entrusted to them for private gain. Insider trading—where one uses privileged knowledge to make a profit before the public has the same information—is not just a financial crime. It is a betrayal of the public trust.

This situation meets every warning sign of that betrayal:

• The tariff pause was not publicly known before it was announced.

• People profited wildly from trades placed just before the announcement.

• The President personally acknowledged these profits with apparent approval.

• And now, we learn he has made hundreds of millions from a speculative coin bearing his name—sold to investors who believed in him, and who were left holding a token now worth 82% less than its peak.

Let no man argue that a President is above the laws of this land. Our Constitution, which I swore to defend, makes no such allowance. If a President can tip friends about a pending decision and watch them profit without consequence, we no longer reside in a republic—we reside in a syndicate.

I do not write to condemn a man, but to defend a principle.

This nation has weathered civil wars and economic panics. It can withstand the misdeeds of any single politician. But it cannot withstand apathy. If we shrug at corruption—if we excuse it because of partisan fondness or political fatigue—then the Republic we forged in Philadelphia is but a relic.

The Congress must investigate. The Securities and Exchange Commission must probe. And the citizen must not turn away. Whether Mr. Trump is guilty of insider trading, or simply presided over its enabling, is a matter for the courts. But whether this conduct aligns with our national creed—that is for us all to judge.

For if we allow this to pass, we do not merely permit corruption—we invite it. And the Republic our ancestors built will become not a government of the people, but a bazaar for the powerful.

George WashingtonApril 12, 2025

Sources Used:

1.    The Political Prism – “The Biggest Insider Trading Case in American History?” by John Polonis (Medium, April 2025)

2.    Financial Times – “Trump’s crypto coin made $350mn in weeks after launch” (FT.com, April 2025)

3.    Reuters – “Well-timed trades ahead of Trump tariff pause raise questions” (April 10, 2025)

4.    The Guardian – “Democrats call for probe into potential insider trading by Trump allies” (April 11, 2025)

5.    WSJ – “Lawmakers seek answers on unusual options activity ahead of tariff news”

6.    MarketWatch – “Can a president violate insider trading laws?” (April 2025)