One year after his sensational return to the White House, Donald Trump has ushered in an unprecedented presidency. From the gilded halls of Mar-a-Lago to an Oval Office transformed in his image, the President wields his power with an iron fist, blurring the line between public interests and private business. In twelve months, his personal fortune has soared by $1.4 billion.
From Bibles to autographed books priced at $1,000, the President uses every official appearance to boost his sales. Behind him, the entire Trump clan is getting rich. His sons are taking stakes in drone companies contracted by the Pentagon or taking advantage of official trips to secure lucrative hotel deals. His granddaughter, Kai, promotes her $130 sweatshirts right from the halls of the White House. The Trump family has also grown immensely wealthy through cryptocurrencies. We gained exclusive access to Zach Witkoff, whose father, Steve, is Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. He heads World Liberty Financial, the president’s family’s cryptocurrency company, which is now suspected of major conflicts of interest.
With many now questioning the President’s mental health, we meet with renowned psychiatrist John Gartner. He believes Donald Trump suffers from “malignant narcissism,” a condition combining paranoia with a total lack of remorse. This clinical analysis sheds light on the billionaire’s megalomania: in Washington, official buildings are covered with his image and the Oval Office has been entirely decorated in gold leaf.
This aesthetic of excess is accompanied by ultra- aggressive communication: on official social media accounts, military strikes in Iran are now edited like video game clips. To cement this drift, Trump relies on religion. He regularly appears in the Oval Office surrounded by some twenty preachers. We follow one of his spiritual advisors, Pastor Mark Burns, who sees him as an “instrument of providence.” To win over his religious electorate, Donald Trump has also created commissions to combat “anti-Christian” bias within the administration.