No Kings Protest
Join other defenders of Democracy for the third nationwide “No Kings” event as North Dakota residents assemble to protest the current administration’s long list of acting outside the boundaries of the laws.
These actions of the president are taking place as our congressional representatives, Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) yield their congressional power and authority to the Office of the President, staying silent and complicit.
No Kings is part of the massive, peaceful, nationwide demonstrations in the U.S. against the 2025 Trump administration, opposing his and his administration’s authoritarian overreach, executive, and military overreach as true American patriots defend the democratic principles of this country. No Kings protests occur in all 50 states and drew millions of people in June and October 2025.
Key Aspects of the “No Kings” Protests:
- Purpose: The movement aims to oppose an “imperial presidency,” including, but not limited to, civil rights violations conducted by ICE, threats of military intervention in democratic-led cities, and the erosion of checks and balances.
- Scope and Size: With over 2,600 events in all 50 states in October 2025, it was one of the largest single-day protests in U.S. history, following a significant, similar action in June.
- Symbolism and Tone: The name “No Kings” references a rejection of monarchical power.
Here is a small list of some of the Trump Administration’s “imperial presidency” actions as gathered from documented allegations, court rulings, and legal findings reported by news organizations, legal scholars, congressional reports, and in some cases the U.S. Supreme Court itself:
- Birthright Citizenship (14th Amendment): Trump signed an executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship, which a federal judge called “blatantly unconstitutional” and blocked. Multiple federal judges have temporarily blocked the order, and the Supreme Court heard arguments on the case in May 2025 but had not yet issued a final decision as of that time.
- Usurping Congress’s Spending Power (Article I): The administration moved to freeze approximately $1 trillion in federal grants and loans. Under the Constitution, Congress holds “the power of the purse” and appropriates government spending — presidents cannot unilaterally place a blanket freeze on funds without congressional involvement.
- Dismantling Congressionally Established Agencies (Article I): The Trump administration has shuttered several agencies established by Congress through statute, including USAID. Article I of the Constitution grants Congress — not the executive — the power to authorize and dismantle federal agencies and programs.
- Firing Independent Agency Officials Illegally: Trump fired top officials at independent agencies such as a member of the National Labor Relations Board, despite federal law and Supreme Court precedent indicating he has no constitutional authority to do so. He also fired agency watchdogs without giving Congress the legally required 30-day notice.
- Due Process Violations in Deportations (5th Amendment): The Supreme Court, in an apparent 7-2 ruling, found that Trump violated the due process rights of Venezuelan migrants when he tried to expedite deportations to an El Salvador prison using the Alien Enemies Act, finding that roughly 24-hour notice “devoid of information about how to exercise due process rights… surely does not pass muster.”
- Defying Court Orders on Deportations: A federal judge found the Trump administration violated a court order preventing deportations to third countries without adequate notice, stating that “the department’s actions in this case are unquestionably violative of this court’s order” — after migrants were sent to South Sudan, a country on the verge of civil war.
- Third-Country Deportations Without Due Process: A U.S. federal judge declared the administration’s policy of rapidly deporting migrants to countries other than their own — without any opportunity to appeal — invalid, writing that migrants cannot be sent to an “unfamiliar and potentially dangerous country” without any legal recourse.
- Fast-Track Deportations Stripping Due Process: A federal court blocked the administration’s fast-track deportation policy, with the ACLU arguing that ICE was arresting people at their scheduled immigration court appointments and attempting to deport them without any due process or fair hearing.
- Targeting Law Firms (1st, 5th & 6th Amendments): A federal judge ruled that an executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie was using “the powers of the federal government to target lawyers for their representation of clients… in an overt attempt to suppress and punish certain viewpoints,” finding violations of the First Amendment, Fifth Amendment rights to equal protection and due process, and the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.
- DEI Crackdowns on Private Speech (1st & 5th Amendments): Legal experts argue the administration’s anti-DEI executive orders appear to violate the First Amendment by mandating a speech code and prohibiting free association, and the Fifth Amendment by punishing people and private organizations without due process.
- Retaliating Against Political Critics (1st Amendment): A Senate report found the administration targeted and retaliated against individuals who voiced criticism, including former federal officials, lawyers who represented political opponents, and elected officials of the opposing party who exercised their constitutionally protected oversight rights.
- Controlling Independent Regulatory Agencies: Trump signed Executive Order 14215, extending presidential control over independent agencies including the Federal Election Commission. Critics and Democratic party organizations filed suit arguing the order unlawfully erodes the mandated independence of these bodies.
- Nicolas Maduro capture and Honduran pardon: Trump usurped Congress to conduct a bombing and military abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, citing the country’s export of drugs to the US as cause, yet then pardoned Hondura’s ex-President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was found guilty in a US court of law, for trafficking 400 tons of cocaine to the United States.
- Unauthorized Use of Tariff Powers: The Senate minority staff report flagged the administration’s claim of broad, unauthorized tariff powers as another area where the executive branch has seized powers that constitutionally belong to Congress.
- Broad Defiance of Court Orders: More than 350 lawsuits have been filed against the administration, and in numerous cases, judges appointed by presidents of both parties ordered the administration to halt unlawful actions. In several instances, the administration failed to comply with rulings directing it to halt firings at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, unfreeze congressionally appropriated funds, and stop deportations of noncitizens without due process.
- Bombing Iran Without Congressional Declaration (War Powers Clause): Representative Al Green called for impeachment after Trump ordered the bombing of Iran, arguing the action violated the Constitution’s War Powers clause, which reserves to Congress the power to declare war.
Additionally, Trump hands out pardons to his supporters and donors, or to those who hire a lobbyist who is a supporter or donor, according to analysis by the American Enterprise Institute. NBC News analyzed Trump’s pardons for 88 individuals granted through January 20, 2026, and found that more than half of them went to wealthy criminals convicted for white-collar crimes such as money laundering and fraud. Here are some notable individuals who were pardoned by Donald Trump and also made — or whose families made — high-dollar financial contributions to Trump:
- Trevor Milton (Nikola founder) — Milton contributed $920,000 to the Trump 47 Committee in October 2024, and Trump pardoned him for his 2022 conviction of federal crimes related to defrauding investors about the potential of his technology. His pardon freed him from having to pay $661 million in restitution owed to the investors he defrauded.
- Paul Walczak (nursing home executive) — His mother, Florida businesswoman Elizabeth Fago, gave $1 million to Trump’s super PAC on April 3, just weeks before Trump granted a pardon to her son. Walczak had pleaded guilty to tax crimes; prosecutors argued he withheld more than $10 million from his employees’ paychecks and used the money to buy luxury items for himself, including a $2 million yacht.
- Imaad Zuberi (venture capitalist) — Trump commuted the sentence of this major political donor who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for violating campaign finance and tax laws, and obstructing an investigation into Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee. Zuberi donated at least $800,000 to committees associated with Trump and the Republican Party, according to FEC filings.
- Changpeng “CZ” Zhao (Binance co-founder) — The wealthiest of those pardoned, worth nearly $80 million according to Forbes, the co-founder of crypto exchange Binance was pardoned in October after pleading guilty to violating the US Bank Secrecy Act’s anti-money laundering rules. Reports note his exchange has financial ties relevant to Trump family interests.
Plus, here is an accounting of the documented and reported ways Donald Trump has used his presidency to generate personal profit. All claims are sourced from major news organizations, financial disclosures, congressional investigations, and ethics watchdogs.
Using conservative estimates, Trump and his family have made nearly $4 billion “off of the presidency” in just about one year. According to Forbes, his net worth skyrocketed from $2.3 billion in 2024 to $6.7 billion by the end of 2025. Unlike his first term, where Trump maintained at least a stated attempt to firewall his private interests from his official duties, his second term has been defined by the open integration of federal power, personal branding, and private profit.
Here’s a summary of the available data, drawing on multiple investigative sources. Note that these figures come from watchdog groups, congressional analyses, and news investigations — not official government disclosures, which are limited — and estimates vary by methodology.
- First Term (2017–2021): During his first term, Trump was in a unique position to profit directly from public service, with special interests holding fundraisers and galas at his resorts, private clubs, and hotels. A Washington Post investigation found that Trump businesses received $78 million in foreign payments during his first presidency.
- Second Term (2025–present): The financial picture in the second term is dramatically larger. According to a New York Times investigation, Trump made over $1.4 billion in personal profit within a single year back in office — an amount equal to 16,822 times the median U.S. household income — with earnings from cryptocurrency, foreign real estate deals, licensing agreements, media sales, and gifts. The Times noted this was likely an underestimate. A broader accounting by New Yorker journalist David Kirkpatrick put the total higher: he calculated $3.4 billion in profits directly attributable to leveraging the presidency, while NPR and Planet Money reported that using even conservative estimates, the Trump family made almost $4 billion “off of the presidency” in roughly one year. A House Oversight Committee analysis was even more expansive: as of January 2026, it estimated $2.25 billion in realized profits from foreign payments and other sources, rising to as much as $9.7 billion when the value of Trump’s digital assets is factored in.
- Taxpayer Cost of Trump’s Golf Trips: A key detail worth noting: because Trump plays exclusively at courses he owns, taxpayer travel and security spending flows directly to his own for-profit businesses.
First Term (2017–2021): During his first term, Trump’s golf expenses totaled approximately $152 million over four years, covering 293 golf days at his own resorts. The costs are driven by Air Force One flights, transporting motorcade vehicles and security personnel, and Coast Guard deployments. A GAO report calculated a total cost of roughly $3.38 million per Mar-a-Lago trip.
Second Term (2025–present): The pace has accelerated sharply. As of early January 2026, Trump had visited golf clubs at least 79 times since taking office — about 22.8% of his presidency — with estimated costs to taxpayers of around $110.6 million, based on GAO cost figures. A separate HuffPost analysis from November 2025 put the figure at nearly $71 million through that point, with the second-term total on pace to break $300 million over four years — double what he spent in his first term. A single trip to promote his Aberdeen, Scotland course cost taxpayers approximately $10 million alone. - Trump Meme Coin
On January 17, 2025 — days before his inauguration — Trump launched the $TRUMP meme coin through a Trump-owned company called CIC Digital LLC, which retained 80% of the coin’s supply. The coin soared to a market valuation of over $5 billion within hours.In January 2025, Trump earned between $86–100 million in trading fees from the coin in just two weeks. Trump then dramatically increased the coin’s value by announcing an exclusive dinner: the top 220 investors in the $TRUMP memecoin would be invited to a gala dinner, with the top 25 receiving a private VIP reception and White House tour. Trump promoted the event as “the most EXCLUSIVE INVITATION in the world,” causing the coin to surge more than 60%.The foreign entanglement angle is striking: a Bloomberg analysis found that 19 of the top 25 memecoin holders are likely foreign nationals. Justin Sun, a Chinese billionaire who has publicly touted ties to the Chinese government, held the top spot with over $18 million in the coin. Sun had been facing an SEC fraud lawsuit — which was notably paused after he invested $30 million in another Trump crypto venture.
Companies were also explicit about buying the coin to gain political favor: Freight Technologies, a Houston-based firm, announced plans to purchase $20 million worth of $TRUMP coins specifically to “advocate for fair, balanced, and free trade between Mexico and the U.S.” — against a backdrop of Trump-imposed tariffs on Mexico.
- World Liberty Financial
The Trump-backed crypto venture, with founders including Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and his sons, raised more than $550 million by selling tokens to buyers worldwide.World Liberty Financial sends 75% of its revenue directly to the Trump family. The conflicts of interest are layered: in May, Eric Trump announced that a firm backed by a sovereign wealth fund of the United Arab Emirates would make a $2 billion investment using World Liberty Financial’s crypto coin — a massive windfall in fees for the Trump family. Just two weeks later, the White House allowed an Emirati company owned by the same chairman to acquire advanced computer chips from the United States.A House Judiciary Committee report released in November 2025 found that Trump’s cryptocurrency policies were used to benefit himself and his family, and that Trump dismantled anti-corruption safeguards and pardoned individuals to build his crypto empire.
- Rolling back crypto regulations
The Trump administration has pushed for looser regulations on digital assets. World Liberty Financial launched a stablecoin just as the administration pushed for deregulation. Reports indicate that Abu Dhabi’s MGX used Trump’s stablecoin for a $2 billion investment in Binance.Legal experts note that while criminal conflict-of-interest statutes don’t apply to the president, Trump may be potentially violating the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits leaders from accepting gifts or funds from foreign governments. - Trump Media & Technology Group (Truth Social)
In 2025, investors poured money into Trump Media and Technology Group, the social media and tech company he founded. After returning to office, his net worth jumped substantially in part because of this. In December 2025, Trump Media announced a planned merger with TAE Technologies, a nuclear fusion company — raising questions about conflicts of interest given that his administration oversees the regulation of the nuclear industry. - Foreign Real Estate Deals – The Middle East
The Trump family signed a blitz of real estate and licensing deals with Saudi Arabia that ethics experts say would have been inconceivable without his presidency. Trump’s first international trip of his second term was to the Middle East — the same region where the Trump Organization is building an 80-floor hotel and residential tower, as well as a luxury complex in Qatar.According to ethics watchdog CREW, at least 19 foreign Trump-branded projects will be in development over the next four years. - Qatar’s Gift of Luxury Jet
The Trump family’s haul includes a luxury Boeing 747-8 gifted by the Qatari royal family — a head-of-state gift that critics argue raises serious Emoluments Clause concerns about a foreign government directly enriching the president. - Mar-A-Lago: The “Southern White House” revenue machine
Trump has earned $125 million in extra profits since he first became president from Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort, which frequently hosts events and fundraisers. Initiation fees have been bumped from around $100,000 in 2016 to $1 million today. - The “Executive Brand” $500,000 Access Club
Donald Trump Jr. and his business partners, including the sons of Trump’s chief Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, launched an exclusive D.C. club with a $500,000 membership fee, pitched as a private hangout for donors and business moguls to rub shoulders with top Trump officials. - Trump Merch
Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure lists $3 million from Bible sales, $1 million from a “45” guitar, $2.8 million from Trump watches, and $2.5 million from sneakers and fragrances. The Trump Organization also began selling “Trump 2028” hats, a nod to the president’s musings about an unconstitutional third term. - Trump Jr. Admin Contracts
According to the Financial Times, companies funded by a venture capital firm that added Donald Trump Jr. as a partner in 2024 received at least four contracts from the Trump administration. Along with investments in SpaceX and defense contractor Anduril, Trump Jr. has made millions from contracts issued by his own father’s administration. According to Forbes, Trump Jr.’s net worth jumped sixfold in a single year. - Melania’s $28 million Amazon movie deal
The first lady received roughly $28 million in a licensing deal with Amazon Studios for a documentary about her — a sum that dwarfs comparable deals for other public figures.