The Grifter-In-Chief: A Sampling

The official poster unveiled in the Oval Office on 11 April 2026 announcing the UFC Freedom 250, an upcoming mixed martial arts event from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It is scheduled to take place on June 14, 2026, (Trump’s birthday) on the South Lawn of the White House in “honor” of our country’s 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence. There will be 5,000 seats on the White House grounds of which most will allegedly go to members of the military. There will also be “High Roller VIP” tickets for the grounds that can be had for a bribe of 1.5 million dollars. The plans include space for 80,000 more spectators to watch the fights on big screens on the Ellipse. Nothing says “America!” like a cage fight in the eight sided fenced enclosure known as the Octagon.

True to his reputation as the Grifter-in-Chief, Trump is putting his name on sesquicentennial celebrations and commemorative souvenirs meant to celebrate our nation’s historic celebration. However, it only goes along with all of the other attempts he made or is working on to leave his brand on much of the federal government. If you consider yourself an Emperor, then you deserve to have great monuments built in your honor. It doesn’t matter if you have what some might describe as grotesque taste — certainly tacky comes up short — because you are the knower of all things. For those that may have not been keeping track, here in no particular order, are some of the things Trump has “branded” without our consent, and usually using taxpayer dollars.

• Passports. The State Department will begin issuing passports with Trump’s face filling the inside page and sporting his signature in gold. Alas, it will only be available to those renewing their passports in person in Washington D.C.
• National Park Passes. George Washington now shares his image with a picture of Trump on The National Park Service’s annual America the Beautiful park pass. The Park Service had to amend its rules to prohibit the many pass holders from “defacing” the cards by putting wildlife pictures, smiley faces or other types of additions to cover Trump’s face.
• Commemorative Coins. A 24-karat coin featuring Trump was approved by the Department of the Treasury and will celebrate our 250th birthday. I suppose it is because he was so instrumental in the founding of our country.
• U.S. Currency. Trump’s signature will appear on paper currency, as announced by the Department of the Treasury to honor the “historic achievements” he has made. It will be the first time in American history that a sitting president’s name appears on actual money. There are also plans for a Trump one dollar coin to be minted with his face on it.
• Giant Portraits. There are multi-story sized banners on multiple U.S. federal buildings featuring Trump including the Department of Labor, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice.
• Renamed Buildings. Trump added his name to the Kennedy Center (his comes first, of course) and put his name (first) on the Institute of Peace. The Palm Beach International Airport is renamed for Trump, with his companies having exclusive control over many aspects of the commercial enterprises there, copyrighted use of his initials, and exclusive merchandising rights for airport items sold outside the terminal.
• Immigration. Trump Gold Cards, Trump Corporate Gold Cards and Trump Platinum Cards are available to wealthy individuals and organizations that allows them privileges in the U.S. not available to other immigrants if they pay a bribe large fee to attain them.
• Trump Class Battleships. This spring Trump announced a new class of ships for the U.S. Navy that will be named for Trump. The cost for one ship is estimated at 17 billion dollars. Rumors indicate that the recently fired Secretary of the Navy was let go because the program was moving too slowly for Trump’s liking. (I seriously doubt this particular ship will ever be built.)
• Prescription Drugs. TrumpRx is a new website meant to help lower the cost of prescription drugs. Drugs are not directly sold on the website but rather directly from the supplier. Insurance cannot be used to buy them.
• Investment Accounts. Beginning on 4 July, 2026 newborns can receive one thousand dollars from the U.S. Treasury to invest. The investments are known as Trump Accounts and parents can match the deposit up to five thousand dollars per year. The newborn must be a U.S. citizen and the program ends on 31 December, 2028. Some experts worry this is the beginning of privatizing Social Security.
• East Potomac Golf Course. The busiest and most affordable public golf course in the District of Columbia is being taken over by Trump to make it “a world class course.” What this means to the average citizen is still unclear. It is the most popular course in the District for the public. The National Links Trust — a non-profit — signed a fifty year lease to run the park in 2020. Trump cancelled it. Currently, 37,000 cubic yards of toxic waste from the destruction of the East Wing is being dumped on the grounds in piles that golfers must navigate around.
• The Garden of Heroes. Trump intends to take over significant areas of public parks along the District waterfront to build his park that will contain 250 statues of great Americans. This will mean taking over areas traditionally used by families and communities for recreation, picnics and other normal uses for a park such as pickup soccer games.
• The Arc de Trump. The proposed 250 foot high triumphal arch would be built at the end of the Memorial Bridge and block the view between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. It was to be completed in time for the 250th celebration but construction is now uncertain.
• Lincoln Monument Reflecting Pool. Trump issued a no-bid contract to his golf course “pool guys” to refurbish the reflecting pool between the Washington and Lincoln Memorials. He says it cost about two million dollars but numerous reports indicate it may be as high as 6.9 million dollars. He had it painted “American Flag Blue” so that now it looks like a giant swimming pool. Oh. Yeah. He drove his motorcade through the pool. Not to it. Not around it. Through it. To “inspect.” His limousine — the Beast — alone weighs 8-10 tons. He had a full motorcade. One wonders what all that weight did to the joints between slabs that were just repaired.
• Air Force One. The Qatari luxury 747 given to Trump — apparently not to the U.S. — to use as his new Air Force One has been upgraded to meet security standards at a cost of 400 million dollars. Trump plans to keep it after he leaves the presidency.

Now for the pink elephant sucking all of the oxygen out of the room — Trump’s desecration of the People’s House which he thinks he owns. His “maximalist” style of decorating means gold trim all over the inside and outside of the White House. Everywhere. It was not enough to destroy the Rose Garden (the area is now called the “Rose Garden Club”) and making it look like a patio at most nice motels. He has put up gold graphics to name rooms and the doors are now decorated with medallions depicting his face. The dignified Oval Office looks like a gussied up New Orleans brothel (with no intent to insult New Orleans or brothels). He has placed life sized statues around the White House grounds, perhaps a preview of his Garden of Heroes. He created a “Presidential Walk of Fame” with biographies that praise his favorite presidents and denigrates and defames those he does not like.

Of course we need to talk about the ballroom designated to take the place of the already demolished East Wing. Originally it would cost 200 million dollars all paid for by “donors.” Then it went to 400 million dollars with no taxpayer money needed. Now Congress is preparing a bill that will allocate one BILLION dollars for the ballroom. Possibly in addition to the previously mentioned 400 million. They try to justify it based on national security claiming it will be a secure space for all presidents into the future to use without concern. One might ask why, if Trump is that worried about his safety that he has to have a fort separating himself from the public, does he go outside to play golf at one of his resorts nearly every weekend? (At taxpayer expense.) This may be the biggest boondoggle in the history of these United States. It is clearly meant to be monument to himself that will make future generations think that he was one great man. His actual legacy is in danger so he must create his own. At our expense. One billion dollars. But no money for starving kids, healthcare, helping the needy or making sure our schools are the best.

If you need any further proof of what he thinks of himself, take a look at this.

The 22 foot tall statue of Trump at his golf course in Florida. He claims via Truth Social that it is “The Real Deal — GOLD — At Doral In Miami” when in fact it is bronze with a gold coating. Last week a group of evangelical pastors blessed it and dedicated it. There is another such statue at Mar-A-Lago. (Photo: Adam Schupak/Golfweek)

Can I get an Amen?