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President Trump and his family made more than a billion dollars last year, much of it from crypto.
His enormous earnings are raising a lot of questions about possible conflicts of interest. The White House says there's nothing wrong with it. >> I'm Amartina's that is Michelle Martin, and this is a first from NPR news. [MUSIC] >> Democratic Socialists are gaining momentum after primary wins in New York and Colorado.
Republicans are betting they can paint the whole party as to extreme, which could be a challenge for Democrats' eyeing midterm races. Can they tap into that Democratic Socialist energy without the label? >> And the US men are through to the World Cup's Round of 16th. They beat Bosnia Herzegovina, although they had to play a man down for their first knockout win in 24 years.
But their top score is suspended for the next game.
“Say what this will give you news you need to start today.”
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Today, the NPR network proudly upholds your first amendment rights with reporting accountable only to you. It's something we protect together. Power a truly independent press, support the NPR network at plus.npr.org. >> Hi, it's Terry Gross, the host of Fresh Air. Catch my interview about the birth of the culture wars.
>> Even breakfast cereals have become part of the culture wars. >> Author Isaac Butler takes us back to when the Christian right mobilized against provocative art. Listen to fresh air on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. >> President Trump's financial disclosure show that the president and his family took in more than $1 billion through cryptocurrency sales and other business ventures.
>> The report releases week shows the crypto earnings sharply outpaced Trump's real estate businesses, which had already made the president a wealthy man. They also raised questions about possible conflicts of interest. >> NPR is Linda Kenyan is with us this morning. Welcome, Linda.
Glad to have you with us. >> Thank you, good morning. >> Now that we've had some time to dig into this 927 page financial disclosure document,
“what exactly are we learning about the crypto earnings for the president and his family?”
>> Well, we're learning a lot. The 2025 report, which was filed with the Office of Government Ethics shows, the cryptocurrency venture world liberty financial, which was co-founded by Trump and his family members,
took in more than $500 million in addition.
The sale of Trump's souvenir type meme coins took in more than $600 million. The official version of those meme coins with Trump's face stamped on it was launched just days before he took his second term inauguration. Other income included more than $50 million from settlements with media companies, millions from selling Trump-branded bibles, sneakers, watches, those watches with the Trump
imprint brought in more than $4.7 million all by themselves. And that's all separate from the president's overseas real estate ventures, many of them with countries that have been negotiating with the US on tariffs and military aid in several other issues. >> What's the White House thing?
Well, the White House has released a statement that denies any conflict of interest. Trump's person Anna Kelly said, quote, neither the president nor his family has ever engaged or will ever engage in conflicts of interest. She also applies the president for making the US as she put it, the crypto capital of the world through executive actions.
President Trump himself also answered reporters who asked about his earnings when he was leaving for the Dakotas yesterday, a joint base Andrews. >> We have funds that run my money. >> But you were a benefit. >> Well, I've made a lot of money before I became president.
And they invest my money and I don't talk to them. I don't even speak to them. So I have many people. I don't know what they call it. It's losing the counts or something.
You put your money in and that said, I don't talk to them. They're big institutions and they run it. >> That's not unlike the response that White House press secretary Caroline Levitt gave when she was asked about Trump's meeting with top investors in his mean coin, meeting that took place in May of 2025.
The president is abiding by all conflict of interest laws that are applicable to the president.
“And I think everybody, the American public believe it's absurd for anyone to insinuate”
that this president is profiting off of the presidency. >> Trump on Wednesday said he's also earning more because the stock market is doing well. Saying everybody is profiting. >> So the White House and the president deny any conflict or abuse of the office. I have to note that even some of the president's traditional supporters, some of the
podcasters, for example, are raising questions about this, but what about other people? Are there other critics of this? >> Yes, absolutely. Democrats have a lot to say. For example, California Senator Adam Schiff suggested the president has made more money
in the first year of his term than in the rest of his life combined. And Congressman Jason Crowe called the president's crypto earnings. Another example of what he termed, grift and corruption. The Colorado Democrat also pointed out the Trump on Wednesday was taking his first flight
On a brand new Air Force one, a gift from a foreign government, Qatar, valued...
than $400 million in will stay in the Trump realm when he leaves office.
“The White House says the aircraft will be a donation to Trump's presidential library.”
>> That's in fear of Slinda Kenyant, Linda, thank you. >> Thank you. [MUSIC] >> Democratic Socialists have scored some high profile victories of the last few days. And in the view of many Republicans, that should be a warning sign for voters.
Here's President Trump on Wednesday. >> We're not going to let communist get in our way, we're not going to let anyone get in our way, not to come. Not to come yet. >> For Democrats, these kinds of attacks come as no surprise, but they still pose a challenge
for the party as they look ahead to this year's midterms and a path back to the majority in Congress. >> And if your political reporter Elena Moore has been keeping an eye on all this in us with us now, good morning, Elena. Good morning, Michelle.
>> So we saw Democratic Socialists win big victories in New York City last week, and then again this week in Denver, how are they doing it? >> Well, it's a mix of things. Democrats have struggled to coalesce around a clear post 2024 message, but many of these successful campaigns endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America or DSA do have a core message,
one that's centered around economic populism and rejecting the political status quo. They're also not trying away from more polarizing issues, like abolishing ICE and into US military aid and Israel, and taken together it's a platform that appears to be energizing people, at least in these super blue areas. >> What have I looked like in Denver?
>> To back up real quick, the DSA is not a registered political party.
“It's a membership group, so that's why these candidates are running in the Democratic Party”
primary. And that's what Milatt Kiros did in Denver.
She's a 29-year-old first-time candidate who unceded longtime Democrat Diana DeGett, and
make no mistake, DeGett is seen as a progressive on Capitol Hill, but she's also been there since 1997, the year Kiros was born, so Kiros campaigned as an anti-establishment candidate, calling for a new type of politics, and like many leftist candidates this year, she tried to differentiate herself by vocally rejecting money from corporate packs and pro-Israel lobby in groups and criticizing her opponent for taking those same kinds of donations in the past.
>> Can you talk about the drawbacks that some other Democrats see in these DSA victories? >> Well, several of these candidates are going from activists to politician, and skeptics are wasting no time highlighting at least one of these candidates' past comments disparaging Democrats. Some Democrats are hesitant to associate with DSA, saying it could complicate their message
and toss up races where control of Congress will ultimately be decided. But Bennett, with the centrist think tank third-way, argued that Republicans will paint any Democrat as a Democratic socialist in hopes that it will make them seem too extreme. >> Of course, it's possible to run as a less-to-meaning populist without adopting the maximum of the extremes, but it is very hard for Democrats now to distinguish themselves.
>> One of the Democratic Socialists say to that, "Well, I talked to Clarevelle does about it. She's one of two candidates for Congress who won in New York last week. She argues this is not a radical movement." >> You're seeing it not just in New York City, but really around the country that there's broad consensus around the need to re-centered working class, you know, Americans and
our politics, and really fight to make sure that the Democratic Party is leading on these issues.
“>> So we've all that said, what's the calculus for Democrats as they look ahead to November?”
>> Well, candidates who don't want to be associated with DSA are going to try to strike a balance tapping into some of that same messaging without the DSA label, and that's not going to stop the GOP from framing people as extreme, but given how frustrated folks are with politics right now, I'll be watching to see if voters are more willing to look past those kind of attacks.
>> That's in PRR. I'll wait a minute, Alena. Thank you. >> Thanks, Michelle. You know, are two nothing went, may not sound like much of a nail biter, but last night in the FIFA World Cup, the U.S. men's national team looked like it might be on the ropes before pulling out a win against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
>> It's first time in almost a quarter century that the United States has won a game in the
World Cup knockout stage. >> And PRR. sports correspondent Becky Sullivan was there. Hopefully she's gotten her heart rate back down, and she's joining us on the line from San Jose, California. Good morning, Michelle. >> What a game. How big the win is this?
>> Unbelievable. >> Yeah, I mean, this was a wild ride. It's a huge win, Michelle, because I mean, just being there, the U.S. had to work and work and work to get that first goal to go up 1 to 0 just before half time, and then there's striker, Philarenne Baligan, who is this like the newest big star of this team, made this disastrous mistake in the second half, he got his legs
tangled up with a Bosnia defender, he stepped on the defender's ankle, it went to a video
Review, and it was deemed a red card, meaning he was out for the game.
U.S. was forced to play down a man for the remainder of the games, which was like 25 minutes, plus stoppage time, and I don't think any fan in the stadium was confident at all in that point in a U.S. win. Bosnia was, of course, only down one, anything could have happened, and they pulled it off for the biggest win for the U.S. men's national team in a good long time.
>> Okay, so tell us about the win that was this hero moment in the second half when the
U.S. went up to Nill, tell us about it. >> Yeah, exactly. Yes, so they were playing short handed, they're down a guy, but this yellow card on a Bosnia defender gave the U.S. this golden opportunity a free kick from near the top of the penalty area, and up steps midfielder, Malik Tillman, he couldn't have hit a prettier shot, just right over the wall of defenders and into the net. He is just
one of the best skilled players on the team, he's also just one of the quietest, most
“understated, one of the most soft-spoken people. I think I've ever met, sometimes you even”
struggled to hear him when he's just speaking to a small crowd of us reporters, and here is how he put it after the game. >> I'm a different type of person on the pitch. Of course, maybe you don't really see my emotions, but if you go and go like this, I mean, I think also you guys saw my emotions, and then NASA is a great feeling, and of course, a very proud moment for me.
>> Yes, you could hear a quietest there. He was born in Germany, his mom is German, his dad, was an American armed forces, he's American. And so Malik is just one of these dual nationals. The US, of course, is very happy to have on the team right now, because when you can score a short hand at goal like that, Michelle, there is nothing that takes the wind out of the sales faster for an opponent in a game like that. Okay, put this red card,
yes, it is a big deal. Yeah, unfortunately, it's a big deal because Baligan had become a huge
“centerpiece of this team in the world cup. So far, he has played three games, he had three”
goals, which is already tied for the second most all time by any American man in a single
world cup. He's not the type of guy who picks up a lot of yellow and red cards. This is his first ever red card for the national team. So sitting out is going to be a big deal here, is his teammate Christian Plyssic after the game. >> No, just disappointing. I got understand, it's a dangerous act in a way, but like if he's just trying to put his foot on the ground, it wasn't high on his leg, it's just so unfortunate. >> You could just like really hear the
disappointment in his voice. I mean, Plyssic is exactly the guy, by the way, who benefits from Baligan being on the field because Baligan is good. It takes away some of the pressure from Plyssic, who has long been the biggest star of the US men's national team. Now, the opponent next week, Belgium will get to focus more of that attention on Christian Plyssic. So for people who don't know the game, that will yet, that means that Baligan is out for the next match,
which is against Belgium. So what else are we going to see there? >> Yeah, you know, it's hard to know, you know, Belgium has been a team with some real ups and downs this year on one hand. You had Belgium in the US playing in a friendly back in March. Belgium won that one, really easily actually. It was five to two, kind of a big blowout win. But on the other hand, they've looked like one of the most beatable, quote-unquote, good teams in this tournament so far
“in this world cup. So I think it's a difficult one to predict. The US certainly has a chance,”
even without Baligan. And a win wish I would bring the Americans to the quarter finals, which would match the deepest run they've ever had in a modern world cup. >> That is,
and here's Becky Sullivan, Becky, thank you. >> You're welcome. >> And that's up first
for Thursday to lie second. I'm Michelle Martin. >> And I mean, Martin, as today's episode of up first was edited by Jan Johnson, Russell Lewis, Jason Preslow, Alice Wolfley, and Muhammad L. R. D.C. was produced by Zia Butch at the end of the month. Our director is Christopher Thomas, we get engineering support from Stacey. Abbott, our technical director is at Coleman, and our deputy executive producer is Kelly Dickens, join us again tomorrow.
>> This week on shore wave, working from home is popular, no commute, sweatpants, people who do it say makes them happier. >> And the data suggests they're probably wrong about that, on average at least. >> We unpack a new study about the social isolation of remote work, and what it means for your help. This week on shore wave and Pierre Science podcast, listen daily on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
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