Dan Alexander

Winning the presidency is a heck of a tax strategy. The IRS has previously taken issue with charitable deductions Trump pursued after giving up development rights on golf courses. Now he's president, with the power to appoint those who might otherwise scrutinize him.

When it comes to property prices, there are two worlds: What appraisers are willing to say something is worth, and what something is actually worth. Trump, who has lied about the value of his assets for decades, took advantage of that gap to dodge millions of dollars in taxes.

For decades, Donald Trump has claimed charitable deductions on golf courses he never gave away. Now, facing one of the most significant tax bills of his life, he’s pushing the scheme even further—and appears to be using the presidency to get away with it. Full story: www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comHow Trump Turned His Golf Empire Into A Billion-Dollar Tax ShelterFor decades, the president has claimed charitable deductions on golf courses he never gave away. Now he’s pushing the scheme further—and apparently using the presidency to get away with it.

Big investigation out today: "Trump's Golf Empire Is A Billion-Dollar Tax Shelter" www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

15 Sept

This is Donald Trump's fortune over time. See those last two bars? Yeah, the presidency has been good to him. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comHot-Dog Heaven: Inside Trump’s Golf GetawaysAt his private golf clubs, the president barrels through foursomes, knocks away putts, and generally has the time of his life—with the government picking up the Secret Service’s hot-dog tab.

7 Sept

Donald Trump is obsessed with the hot dogs at one of his golf courses. So obsessed that he orders one for everyone around him, including his Secret Service detail. Then, according to a former employee, the club bills the Secret Service for the hot dogs. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comPresident Trump Appears More Involved In His Businesses Than Previously KnownFor a decade, Donald Trump and his family have insisted that he stopped all management of his businesses while serving as president. He did not.

4 Aug

Donald Trump and his family have long maintained that, even though he continues to own his assets, the president is walled off from decision making inside the Trump Organization. He is not. New investigation out this morning. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comTrump's Business Pursued Saudi Deal As He Conducted Nuclear DiscussionsWhile Trump's administration held nuclear-energy talks with Saudi Arabia, his private business moved ahead with a real-estate project tied to the crown prince.

23 July

As the Trump administration held nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia, the president’s private business was moving into a crown-prince-backed development in the country—announcing a hotel, golf and residential project bearing Donald Trump’s name. Full story: www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

15 July

This is what happened to Donald Trump's business when he returned to the presidency. Full story here: www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comTrump Made Even More Money Than You Thought Last YearAmerica’s salesman-in-chief capitalized on the most lucrative pitch of his life. Now Trump is selling something else—the myth that he doesn’t know how he made so much.

15 July

You may have seen reports that Donald Trump hauled in $2.2 billion in 2025. Turns out, he actually made even more. New story released this morning: www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comTrump’s Foreign Licensing Business Grew 900% As He Returned To PowerThe developer-in-chief is showing just how lucrative an unrestrained presidency can be.

8 July

Trump's foreign licensing business grew 900% as he returned to power. New story out this morning. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.com‘I’m Now Broke’: These Investors Lost Billions Buying Trump Stocks And CryptoDesperate to rebuild his fortune, Donald Trump asked his political supporters to become his business partners. Those who trusted him most got hurt the worst.

6 July

Desperate to rebuild his fortune, Donald Trump asked his political supporters to become his business partners. Those who trusted him most got hurt the worst. Meet the victims of Trump's various moneymaking ventures. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

2 June

How much of a problem are Trump’s financial dealings? Do they merely create the appearance of conflicts, or do they create avenues of corruption? It’s a hard question to answer, largely because the distinction depends on what happens inside the president’s head. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

pbs.orgTrump stock trades fuel accusations of corruption and profiting off presidencyEarlier this month, President Trump disclosed that his trust actively traded individual stocks. It’s an unprecedented practice for a sitting U.S. president in the modern era and is raising concerns ab...

1 June

When I started at Forbes, I remember gawking at stories coming out of Italy, where billionaire prime minister Silvio Berlusconi sparked one scandal after another. Now, Italian media gawks at what’s happening in the U.S. Full segment with Italy's PiazzaPulita here: www.la7.it/piazzapulita...

Dan Alexander reposted

DougAAdams

@dougaadams.bsky.social

31 May

A sitting president not only owning stocks but actively trading them while in office is unprecedented in modern history. We spoke with @danalexander21.bsky.social and @rwpusa.bsky.social about the implications. @elizlanders.bsky.social reports @pbsnews.org www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

29 May

One of the biggest misconceptions about Trump’s business is the idea that he put his assets into a blind trust—or gave them all away to his family members. He did neither. Full PBS Newshour segment here: www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

28 May

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are suddenly much, much richer. Expect an uptick in news about their investments as they redeploy their newfound funds.

27 May

During his time out of office, Donald Trump reconstituted his business empire, setting himself up to make far more money in his second term than he did in his first. Full segment from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0omp...

26 May

Eric Trump's bitcoin business has added about $90 million to his net worth. But the everyday shareholders who bought into his sales pitch are down an estimated $500 million. Full story here: www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

22 May

Eric Trump's bitcoin business has been selling investors a fantasy. Full story here: www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comWhy Trump’s Tax Immunity Could Save Him More Than $600 MillionThe president secures a get-out-of-jail-free card for tax improprieties, just as he’s hauling in record amounts of cash.

21 May

When Trump reached a settlement with the IRS, his administration tried to make it seem like the president wasn't going to get any money out of the agreement. But a close look at his finances reveals that it could save him more than $600 million. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comInside The Investigation Of Eric Trump's Kids-Cancer CharityThe president’s son did a lot of good for kids with cancer. He also perpetuated a fantasy about his charity for years, which he continues to push to this day.

1/ Eric Trump did a lot of good work through his charity. He also misrepresented many things—how much his organization paid his father’s properties, how much it spent on entertainers, even how much it handed over for auction items. Here's the paper trail. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

9/ The irony is that Eric Trump had a good story to tell. He raised a lot of money and worked to get discounted rates. But he couldn't help himself from embellishing things, pitching his organization as "the model of charity, the model of efficiency in this country."

10/ The misrepresentations led to a state investigation, infuriating Eric. “If Donald Trump were a Democrat, and if my name was Malia or Sasha, I would have been given the Nobel Peace Prize." Here's the full story, which goes inside the investigation. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

7/ I also asked Eric Trump about the auctions at his fundraisers. Was that stuff all donated, or where did he get it? "Yeah, it was donated," he said. But the charity had actually paid at least $65,000 to companies that stock such auctions. Here's a sampling of the checks.

8/ The misrepresentations went beyond media interviews. Here is an program for the Eric Trump Foundation fundraiser, in which Eric criticizes other charities for racking up expenses on events and performers, promising that "St. Jude receives virtually all the monies raised."

5/ I asked Eric Trump whether his foundation had to pay the performers who came to his fundraisers. Many of them had been on The Celebrity Apprentice. "They did it for free," Eric told me.

6/ In fact, Eric Trump signed tens of thousands of dollars worth of checks to bring in entertainers, including Bret Michaels, Dee Snider, Gilbert Gottfried and Lisa Lampanelli.

3/ In fact, the Eric Trump Foundation paid the club year after year. Here are checks from 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015. You can see Eric's signature on all of them.

4/ The Eric Trump Foundation also paid Trump properties beyond the club that hosted its annual golf invitational. The president's son also signed checks to Trump SoHo, a hotel in Manhattan, and to Mar-a-Lago.

2/ The Eric Trump Foundation brought in donations via an annual golf fundraiser at Trump National Golf Club in Westchester County, NY. The event included a compelling pitch. “We have the benefit of using the best properties in the world 100% free of charge,” Eric said in 2017.

18 May

Eric Trump did a lot of good for kids with cancer. He also perpetuated a fantasy about his charity for years, which he continues to push to this day. New investigation out today. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comEric Trump's Bitcoin Business Is A DisasterThe president’s second son pitches his bitcoin company as a money-printing machine. It’s actually an arbitrage vehicle that preys on MAGA-minded investors.

28 Apr

Eric Trump portrays his bitcoin company as a money-printing machine. It’s actually an arbitrage vehicle that preys on MAGA-minded investors. New investigation released this morning. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comThese Crypto Giants Sent Trump Money. His Administration Let Them Off EasyIt took more than fame for Trump and his sons to build a crypto empire. They also got a lot of help from industry insiders, many of whom happened to need a hand from the president.

25 Nov 2025

It took more than fame for Donald Trump and his sons to build a crypto empire. They got a lot of help from industry insiders, many of whom happened to need a hand from the president. Meet Trump's crypto cronies. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

Dan Alexander reposted

forbes.comTrump Crypto Partner Alt5 Sigma May Have Violated SEC Rules With Filing On CEOOne of Trump's key business partners told the SEC it suspended its CEO in mid-October. Internal records suggest he was on “temporary leave” more than a month earlier.

21 Nov 2025

New: Alt5 Sigma, one of Trump's key business partners, told the SEC that it suspended its CEO in mid-October. An internal email, though, says he was placed on “temporary leave” more than a month earlier. me, for @forbes.com 1/

21 Nov 2025

Has Donald Trump's business benefited from his political relationship with Saudi Arabia? NPR's Morning Edition had some great questions today. See a snippet of our conversation below and the full interview here: www.npr.org/2025/11/21/n...

@kylekhanmullins.bsky.social

Donald Trump and NVIDIA chief executive Jensen Huang have grown very close recently, which makes sense, if you understand Donald Trump--and all that America's most valuable company has to gain from him.

Dan Alexander reposted

Kyle Khan-Mullins

forbes.comHere's How Much Vivek Ramaswamy Is WorthThe billionaire may have missed out on running DOGE, but thanks to his former pharma company’s banner year his fortune is up about 80%.

NEW from me for @forbes.com: Vivek Ramaswamy may have lost a presidential run and his spot atop DOGE, but as he runs to lead Ohio, his net worth is higher than ever. Here's why: www.forbes.com/sites/kylemu...

Donald Trump took in $21 million from a Saudi real estate firm last year. He will probably receive at least that much again this year—and there appear to be even more deals in the pipeline.

Dan Alexander reposted

forbes.comHere's How Much Vivek Ramaswamy Is WorthThe billionaire may have missed out on running DOGE, but thanks to his former pharma company’s banner year his fortune is up about 80%.

"Vivek Ramaswamy’s Net Worth Has Nearly Doubled While He’s Running For Ohio Governor" @kylekhanmullins.bsky.social for @forbes.com

nytimes.comFamily Affair: Commerce Secretary’s Sons Cash In on A.I. Frenzy

Howard Lutnick has reportedly promoted projects as commerce secretary that his kids are benefitting from in business. Strong story by @ericlipton.nytimes.com, @mrothfeld.bsky.social, David Yaffe-Bellany and @anaswanson.bsky.social. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...

19 Nov 2025

Donald Trump claimed he had “nothing to do” with his family business yesterday. Nonsense.

forbes.comTrump Received Surprisingly Little For Hosting Saudi-Backed Golf EventsIt took big checks for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf to lure some of the biggest stars away from the PGA Tour. Donald Trump, however, jumped on board for relative pennies.

18 Nov 2025

Just published: It took massive paychecks for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf to lure some of the biggest stars away from the PGA Tour. Donald Trump, however, jumped on board for relative pennies. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

forbes.comTrump’s Bungled Bet On Bitcoin Is Costing Him BigtimeDonald Trump’s social-media business is in trouble. A multibillion-dollar bet on bitcoin hasn’t done anything to help.

7 Nov 2025

Trump bet big on bitcoin. His timing could not have been much worse. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

Dan Alexander reposted

forbes.comTrump Wines Sold At Coast Guard Stores On Federal PropertyExchanges in Washington, D.C., and Virginia have stocked Trump-branded wine and cider, allowing his family’s business to earn revenue from sales on federal property.

7 Nov 2025

Scoop: “Trump Wine Hits Government Shelves” me, for @forbes.com 1/

forbes.comTrump's Next Real-Estate Project Might Be In NashvilleThe Trump Organization hasn’t done much real-estate dealing in the United States recently. But documents spotted by Forbes suggest the first family is looking to expand its empire.

5 Nov 2025

Why the next Trump real-estate project could be in Nashville: www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

28 Oct 2025

Before his first term, Donald Trump promised to do no new foreign deals, touting his decision to turn down a supposed-$2-billion offer from a developer in the United Arab Emirates. Eight years later, he's striking new agreements all over the world--and especially in the United Arab Emirates.

forbes.comInside Trump’s Decades-Long Relationship With The United Arab EmiratesThe president has already made hundreds of millions abroad, much of it stemming from a single Middle Eastern nation. His most lucrative foreign deal may be about to begin.

27 Oct 2025

New investigation out this morning. Trump is doing business all over the world--but much of it stems from a single Middle Eastern nation. I take a look inside the country powering the president's moneymaking machine. www.forbes.com/sites/danale...

Dan Alexander reposted