Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House is once again raising questions about conflicts of interest related to his business empire, with new cryptocurrencies and other projects sparking fresh concerns.

The billionaire’s stunning political comeback is “fuel for the Trump empire,” said Mark Hass, a marketing professor at Arizona State University.

After almost a decade of making headlines around the world, Trump’s “brand is… kind of the Nike or Apple of politics,” he said.

“Everyone knows what that means.

Trump no longer holds an executive title at the Trump Organization, which has been run by his two eldest sons since his 2016 election victory.

The 78-year-old, however, retained his stake in the family business via a trust which, during his first mandate, was managed by a third party.

After leaving the White House, Trump made himself co-trustee of the trust. He has not yet said whether he will relinquish his position when he returns to office in January.

Regardless, according to Hass, Trump’s association with his companies will persist.

“Maybe he doesn’t play a direct role in it, but you can’t get as close to the company without directly running it as if your sons are running it and your name is on it,” he said. he declared.

Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University, said Trump’s victory likely revived the family brand.

“Brands are associations and at the moment the Trump brand is associated with victory, comebacks and momentum,” he told AFP.

“Trump is still a very polarizing brand, but the election result reinforced positive associations,” he said.

Since Trump’s last term, the family business has made major deals overseas, including several related to Saudi Arabia.

The Trump Organization has partnered with Saudi developer Dar Global on a high-rise apartment complex in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, a luxury building in Dubai and a hotel complex in Oman.

He also signed a deal with LIV Golf, controlled by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, and hosted several LIV events at Trump-owned golf courses.

Haas said these partners understand that the contracts give them “influence” over Trump and will ultimately reap financial benefits for him.

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Trump’s conflicts of interest will be “much worse” than during his last presidency, said Jordan Libowitz, vice president of communications at CREW, a government ethics watchdog group.

Libowitz pointed to Trump’s expanded portfolio, which now includes a publicly traded media group.

“Nothing prevents, for example, the Saudi fund, the Emirati fund, the Kuwaiti fund, all of which are making major investments in technology stocks… from injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into these stocks,” he said. he declared.

Trump owns nearly 53% of Trump Media Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of his Truth Social platform.

This stake is currently valued at approximately $3.8 billion, making up the majority of his estimated wealth of $5.9 billion, according to Forbes.

Foreign investors who buy the stock could significantly increase its price, Libowitz said. “But they can also ruin everything by selling everything en masse.”

The New York Post reported, citing members of Trump’s campaign team, that billionaire ally Elon Musk is considering acquiring Truth Social through X, his platform formerly known as Twitter.

The president-elect also recently ventured into the world of cryptocurrencies, joining his sons in backing a new exchange called World Liberty Financial.

Trump is not a shareholder or board member of the startup, but will receive compensation for the platform using his name.

“It’s still not clear how it works or what it does,” Libowitz said. “But cryptocurrency is known for its ability to move money anonymously, especially from abroad.”

CREW plans to file a lawsuit against Trump — as it did during his first administration — arguing that the president receives payments from foreign clients in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

The group’s previous lawsuit ultimately made it to the Supreme Court, but it was dismissed because Trump had already left the White House.

“I think it will be a much more transactional presidency, because there are no obstacles,” Hass said of Trump’s second term.

“Trump, at the very least, knows how to monetize his name and fame.”

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