Corruption has long been a hallmark of American politics, but under Donald Trump, it has become the norm. Since taking office in January 2021, Trump has consistently flouted even the appearance of adhering to ethical guidelines, and his administration's crimes have become increasingly brazen.
Trump's ability to break the rules was always an asset, but now that he's in power, he's using this skillset to subvert the law. His presidency is marked by a relentless flood of corruption, from secretly funneling millions of dollars into government programs to appointing family members and loyalists to key positions.
The Trump administration has also made it clear that its loyalty lies with corporate interests rather than the American people. The president's inauguration fund, for example, was flooded with donations from wealthy donors eager to curry favor with him.
Critics have long argued that corruption is not just a matter of personal behavior but a systemic problem that requires fundamental reforms. However, so far, no one has been held accountable for Trump's actions. His administration's record on transparency and accountability is abysmal.
The great recession was meant to be a wake-up call for the government to take action against corporate malfeasance. Yet, nothing changed. The Obama-era regulators who were supposed to root out corruption instead earned scorn for being too timid. Since then, it has become increasingly apparent that the wealthy play by different rules altogether.
Trump's presidency is an extreme example of this phenomenon. His ability to flout the law and evade accountability has created a culture of impunity among the powerful. The answer isn't simply to elect more reasonable politicians but to fundamentally overhaul our system to ensure that those in power are held accountable for their actions.
As the Trump administration continues to demonstrate its utter disregard for the rule of law, it's clear that this is not just a matter of politics as usual. It's an authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government, with court orders being ignored and loyalists appointed to key positions.
The media has a critical role to play in holding those in power accountable, but so far, many outlets have been too willing to downplay Trump's actions or attribute them to his "unconventional" behavior. The Intercept has consistently taken a hard line on this issue, and we urge our readers to join us in calling for real accountability.
We're independent of corporate interests, but our work depends on the support of members like you. Join us today and help us continue to fight for truth and justice in America.
Trump's ability to break the rules was always an asset, but now that he's in power, he's using this skillset to subvert the law. His presidency is marked by a relentless flood of corruption, from secretly funneling millions of dollars into government programs to appointing family members and loyalists to key positions.
The Trump administration has also made it clear that its loyalty lies with corporate interests rather than the American people. The president's inauguration fund, for example, was flooded with donations from wealthy donors eager to curry favor with him.
Critics have long argued that corruption is not just a matter of personal behavior but a systemic problem that requires fundamental reforms. However, so far, no one has been held accountable for Trump's actions. His administration's record on transparency and accountability is abysmal.
The great recession was meant to be a wake-up call for the government to take action against corporate malfeasance. Yet, nothing changed. The Obama-era regulators who were supposed to root out corruption instead earned scorn for being too timid. Since then, it has become increasingly apparent that the wealthy play by different rules altogether.
Trump's presidency is an extreme example of this phenomenon. His ability to flout the law and evade accountability has created a culture of impunity among the powerful. The answer isn't simply to elect more reasonable politicians but to fundamentally overhaul our system to ensure that those in power are held accountable for their actions.
As the Trump administration continues to demonstrate its utter disregard for the rule of law, it's clear that this is not just a matter of politics as usual. It's an authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government, with court orders being ignored and loyalists appointed to key positions.
The media has a critical role to play in holding those in power accountable, but so far, many outlets have been too willing to downplay Trump's actions or attribute them to his "unconventional" behavior. The Intercept has consistently taken a hard line on this issue, and we urge our readers to join us in calling for real accountability.
We're independent of corporate interests, but our work depends on the support of members like you. Join us today and help us continue to fight for truth and justice in America.
. it's not just about individual politicians being corrupt, it's a culture of impunity that's been allowed to flourish over time. i mean, what happened to the obama-era regulators who were supposed to be holding corporations accountable? instead they're just too scared to do anything.
. we need more outlets like the intercept who are willing to take a hard line on this issue. and btw, it's not just about electing more reasonable politicians, it's about fundamentally changing the system so that those in power can't get away with this stuff.
. but seriously, it's time for some real change.
I'm not surprised by Trump's track record, he's always been a bit of a wild card 
. But seriously though, it's concerning to see how far he's taken things. It feels like the whole system is corrupt now and that's a really scary place to be 
. The rich play by their own rules and it's getting harder to tell what's real and what's not 
. It's not just about electing better politicians, it's about fundamentally changing the way things work 
.
THEY'RE REALLY PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES ON WHAT'S CONSIDERED "ETHICS" IN GOVERNMENT! IT'S LIKE THEY THINK THE RULES DON'T APPLY TO THEM. I FEEL LIKE WE NEED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF OUR SYSTEM, NOT JUST SOME WATERED-DOWN REFORMS THAT WON'T ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE NEED REAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY FROM OUR LEADERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CORPORATE INTERESTS PLAYING TOO BIG A ROLE IN GOVERNMENT. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS LIKE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS SYSTEM CAN GO WRONG 
. We need more regulation, for real 
. I mean, who appoints their own family members to government positions? It's so shady 
. We should be focusing on our school projects instead of this politics stuff... unless we're learning about it, then that's a whole different story 
.
the media is right to call out trump's admin for their blatant disregard for ethics and transparency 
we need real change not just more politicians who promise to be "better" 
And don't even get me started on how he's taking millions from government programs without anyone holding him accountable 
. It's not going to be easy, but I'm hopeful that if we all speak up and demand change, we can create a better system 
.
... Joining as a member could make a real difference in their ability to keep fighting for truth and justice 
. Let's do this! 
. But I do think the system needs an overhaul, it's time for some serious reform 
. We need to make sure that everyone's held to the same standard, regardless of their background or connections 
, it's about fixing the bloody system so that corruption can't just waltz in and take over 
. And what really gets me is that no one has been held accountable for any of this... it's like, where's the outrage from the media and the people? 
The Intercept is one of the few outlets that's actually speaking truth to power, so props to them 
. We need more people like them who are willing to take on the powerful and hold them accountable 
. It's not just about him, it's about how we're structured as a country. We need to reform our laws and institutions so that those in power are held accountable for their actions 
. The media needs to do better too - can't just downplay it or say he's "unconventional" 
his entire admin is just a never-ending parade of scandals and cronyism. Like, I get it, he's broken all the rules before, but now that he's in power he's using those skills to subvert law like it's nothing. It's not just about personal behavior, it's a systemic problem that requires actual reform.
we need to demand real change & hold those in power accountable or else we're stuck with this authoritarian takeover 
. We need to fundamentally overhaul our system to ensure that those in power are held accountable, but until then, I'm just gonna be over here, questioning everything 
.
. We need to create a new culture of accountability, where those in power are held accountable for their actions and the rules are rewritten to prioritize the public interest over corporate interests 
I'm getting really frustrated with the state of politics right now... Corruption has been a thing for ages, but Trump's making it look like it's okay to just break all the rules 
. I mean, come on, appointing family members to key positions? That's not loyalty, that's nepotism! And don't even get me started on the inauguration fund – it's like he's begging for money from the rich and powerful 
. We need to create a culture where people in power actually care about doing what's right, not just getting away with it 
. And we need to support organizations like The Intercept that are willing to take on the powerful 
