Donald Trump asserts he is the only president to refuse his $450,000 annual salary, yet his business assets surged in 2025, driven largely by World Liberty Financial and the $TRUMP memecoin, which Forbes estimates generated $850 million and $635 million respectively.
Donald Trump declared he refused his presidential salary — "probably the only one in history" — and complained that no one thanks him despite working for free. The former and current president made the remark while his personal wealth expanded substantially in 2025 through private ventures, particularly in cryptocurrency.
Forbes estimated that World Liberty Financial, a crypto project linked to Trump and his family, contributed roughly $850 million to his income last year. The $TRUMP memecoin, launched in January 2025, added approximately $635 million. Both vehicles capitalized on Trump's political brand and market enthusiasm for political tokens.
Trump did not accept the $450,000 presidential salary during his first term and pledged to forgo it again in his second. However, he retained ownership of his business empire, including hotels, licensing deals, and digital assets, continuing to draw revenue from them while in office.
The president previously characterized the salary refusal as a personal sacrifice worth about $450,000 per year. Critics note that the forgone sum is dwarfed by the hundreds of millions flowing from crypto enterprises that benefit directly from his public position.
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