New York Times reporter and best-selling author Maggie Haberman raised concerns about the Trump family’s cryptocurrency interests while discussing what she described as an unprecedented level of financial activity involving a sitting president.
Haberman appeared with New York journalist Errol Lewis, who asked her about allegations of “corruption” and “self dealing” involving World Liberty Financial and how the situation differed from controversies surrounding previous administrations.
Haberman said there had been legitimate questions involving Hunter Biden and alleged influence peddling connected to his father, as well as scrutiny surrounding sales of Hunter Biden’s paintings.
But she argued the situation involving President Donald Trump and his family was different.
“We’ve just never seen self enrichment on the scale with a sitting president,” Haberman said.
Haberman then turned to World Liberty Financial, explaining that Trump had previously referred to cryptocurrency as a “scam” before embracing the industry in 2024.
According to Haberman, Trump, longtime friend and fellow real estate developer Steve Witkoff, and their adult sons became involved with World Liberty Financial. She said the company was initially formed by their sons and that the idea had been presented by two individuals whose investment histories she characterized as less than stellar.
The cryptocurrency business was announced two months before the election, Haberman said.
She also pointed to reporting that a company controlled by an Emirati royal acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial just three days before Trump’s inauguration.
Haberman credited The Wall Street Journal with uncovering that information and also pointed to reporting by The New York Times on the Trump family’s cryptocurrency dealings.
“It’s just unheard of,” Haberman said, arguing that there was a lack of transparency surrounding the financial arrangements.
Haberman also raised questions about investments made by Trump’s sons in industries where, she said, they had no previous experience, including the defense industry.
She then highlighted World Liberty Financial’s effort to obtain a bank charter, noting that the company is seeking approval within a system overseen and regulated by the Trump administration.
“World Liberty Financial is now applying for a bank charter that is controlled by their father’s government, and are regulated by their father’s government,” Haberman said.
The Times reporter suggested the sheer volume of financial activity involving the Trump family made the situation difficult to summarize.
Lewis had initially characterized World Liberty Financial as just one of several examples he wanted Haberman to address, asking specifically how it differed from what he called the more traditional “pay-to-play” allegations that have surrounded previous presidential administrations.
Haberman maintained that the scale was the critical distinction, pointing to the cryptocurrency company, its foreign investment and other business interests pursued by Trump’s sons.
“And again, I don’t know how else to describe it,” Haberman concluded. “There’s so much of this, and there’s so much money everywhere.”
