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The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Trump has bought up $100 million in bonds from biggest companies including T-Mobile and Meta since taking office
Since taking office, Donald Trump has bought at least $103 million worth of bonds, including debt issued by corporations that could be impacted by federal policy, like T-Mobile, Meta, and Home Depot, according to government financial disclosures. According to the August 12 filing with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, the president made nearly 700 bond purchases while in the White House, investing in bonds not only from name-brand companies but obscure local governments and utilities districts. The disclosures, obtained by Bloomberg, do not list the exact size of the purchases, but they do show that the president bought between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in bonds from T-Mobile and Home Depot in February, as well as debt worth between $250,000 and $500,000 from Facebook parent Meta. Meta, alongside a variety of other big names in the tech world, donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. A White House official told Reuters that Trump and his family had no role in managing the purchases, which were carried out by a third-party financial institution. The official added that federal ethics officials certified the purchases as in compliance with applicable laws. Critics have alleged that Trump, a billionaire businessman and TV personality before becoming president, has continued highly lucrative activities while holding office. Under federal ethics laws, presidents are not required to divest assets that might pose a conflict of interest, but most have done so anyway since the late 1970s, moving their assets into blind trusts managed by independent monitors. Trump is the first president not to have done so since 1978, and his business empire is held in a trust managed by his two sons. The Republican's net worth has more than doubled since the final year of his first term, and since retaking office, the president has continued to promote his business interests, including by visiting a new Trump golf course in Scotland and hosting top investors in his cryptocurrency business for a tour of the White House in May. On average, the president has visited one of his properties roughly once every other day since taking office, and has promoted his businesses at least 60 times, according to the watchdog group Citizens for Ethics in Washington. The president's sons, meanwhile, have pursued lucrative deals in the crypto world alongside Zach Witkoff, son of U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. A fund linked to the United Arab Emirates government, a U.S. ally, used $2 billion in the Trump family's World Liberty Financial cryptocurrency to invest in a crypto exchange. The Trump sons have also inked multiple business deals in the Middle Eas t since their father took office, including a Trump branded golf course in Qatar partially backed by the country's sovereign wealth fund.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Ukrainian firefighters battle huge fire at Odesa energy site after drone strike
An overnight Russian drone strike on Wednesday, 20 August 2025, caused a significant fire at an energy facility in Odesa, Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared footage depicting firefighters tackling the large blaze and emergency services assisting individuals. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine confirmed that one person was injured as a result of the attack. Zelensky stated that these strikes demonstrate the need for increased pressure, new sanctions, and tariffs against Moscow until diplomacy is fully effective. Watch the video in full above.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Donald Trump's new White House portrait criticised for 'Satanic theme'
A fresh image of Donald Trump has been unveiled in the Oval Office - but it's already causing a stir online, with many branding it as "too accurate" A controversial new portrait of Donald Trump has sparked fierce criticism over its alleged 'Satanic themes'. Sebastian Gorka, the deputy assistant to the president, revealed a fresh image of Trump, which is now displayed in the Oval Office. The artwork shows Trump striding through rows of American flags with an orange glow behind him - compared to flames by critics - and was teased as just "one of the new" Trump-themed artworks decorating the White House. The new portrait comes amid reports of how Trump's Ukraine plans has prompted a Pentagon peace summit with UK military chiefs. The new portrait was created by Vanessa Horabuena, a self-described Christian worship painter. the Express. Not everyone was impressed with the portrait, with some branding it as "too accurate" and others as "too orange." Project Liberal questioned, "Why is the country on fire behind him?". This feeling resonated with many, as another user remarked, "fits. America is on fire in the background and Trump walks away." Others pointed to Trump's collection of self-portraits in the White House, especially after reports last week that portraits of Obama and Bush have been moved to a rarely-used stairwell, reports the Mirror US. Ignited uproar "The man can't get enough of himself," one user slammed. Another added: "As per usual, it's all about his ego." Another person slated the portrait's poor resemblance to Trump's real appearance. "Did you request the portrait to appear 60 lbs lighter than reality?" an X user questioned. The Mirror reached out to both the White House and the artist for a response, but none was immediately available. Trump's portraits and paintings displayed around the White House have previously sparked controversy, and a recent attempt to showcase them to other world leaders didn't go as smoothly as Trump had hoped. Assassination attempt His iconic photo from the Butler assassination attempt, featuring him with his fist raised in the air, is also a source of pride for the president, who often shows it off to visitors. Before a meeting in the East Room yesterday, the seven European heads of state gathered for a photograph with Trump and Zelensky in the Grand Foyer of the White House. As they stood together, the president gestured towards a painting depicting his bloodied ear following an assassination attempt during his 2024 campaign in Pennsylvania. "That was not a good day. Not a great day. See the picture?" Trump said, pointing to a wall on the group's right where the large painting is hung. However, not all the leaders shared Trump's enthusiasm for the image. Patriotic portraits Some of the leaders briefly glanced over, appearing to show minimal interest, while others, like French President Emmanuel Macron, continued to look straight ahead. The Republican leader has been giving the White House a makeover, including refurbishing the Rose Garden and adding numerous gold accents throughout the Oval Office. A substantial portion of these changes includes swapping out portraits of his predecessors. In a recent snap shared on X, Trump's patriotic portrait is proudly showcased between former First Lady Laura Bush and another first lady, nabbing the spot previously held by his long-standing adversary, Hillary Clinton. This comes after Joe Rogan revealed a startling new conspiracy theory about a potential assassination attempt on Trump in 2024.
