A 6-Week Timeline of Corruption
Murphy: Six Weeks In, This White House Is on Its Way to Being the Most Corrupt in U.S. History
In politics, corruption has long been a fact of life. But what’s happening today under Donald Trump and his billionaire allies, especially Elon Musk, is unprecedented—not because corruption itself is new, but because it is now happening out in the open, at a breakneck pace, and on a scale never seen before. What should be shocking has instead become routine, and that’s precisely the strategy: normalize corruption until the public becomes numb to it.
Senator Chris Murphy recently laid out a devastating case against Trump’s new administration, revealing a stunning timeline of self-dealing, influence peddling, and outright theft of public resources. His argument is simple: what is happening in America today mirrors the corruption of oligarchic states like Russia, where power is openly wielded for personal enrichment. And unless we stop normalizing it, this country will become unrecognizable.
A Presidency for Sale
Trump’s return to power has ushered in a dizzying wave of corruption, where influence over government policy is blatantly up for sale. One of the most brazen examples is the launch of Trump’s meme coin, a financial scheme designed to allow wealthy donors—foreign and domestic—to secretly funnel money to Trump in exchange for political favors. It’s an open invitation for bribery, a digital-age slush fund where donors can inflate the value of the coin, enriching Trump in the process, all while hiding their identities.
And that’s just the beginning.
The Billionaire’s Government
Murphy highlighted how Elon Musk, Trump’s most powerful ally, has seamlessly blurred the lines between public service and personal business. The government’s priorities have shifted to serve Musk’s interests:
On February 12, the State Department awarded a $400 million contract to buy armored Teslas, despite no previous plan to do so.
On February 26, the FAA canceled a major contract with Verizon and handed it to Starlink, Musk’s internet company, cutting out competition in a backroom deal.
On February 15, the FDA fired 20 officials reviewing Musk’s Neuralink project, signaling to regulators that opposing Musk comes at a cost.
On February 19, the IRS gutted its audit division, ensuring that billionaires like Musk and Trump’s financial backers face little oversight.
This is corruption at its most blatant. A businessman now holds direct sway over government agencies that are supposed to regulate him, and the message is clear: get in line, or get out.
A Department of Justice That Picks Sides
Trump’s Justice Department has also become a weapon, rewarding loyalty and punishing dissent.
Trump’s DOJ dropped a corruption case against NYC Mayor Eric Adams—but only after Adams pledged political loyalty to Trump.
Prosecutors were directed to halt enforcement of anti-bribery laws, making it easier for U.S. companies to engage in corruption overseas.
The DOJ also dropped an ongoing case against SpaceX, Musk’s flagship company, while launching investigations into those critical of Trump and his allies.
This is not merely favoritism—it is a clear transformation of the justice system into a political tool, ensuring that Trump’s allies stay protected while his enemies face persecution.
The Slow Death of Democracy
The most chilling part of Murphy’s argument is the sheer frequency of corruption under Trump and Musk. It’s happening every single day. And as Murphy warns, the biggest danger is that Americans will simply stop reacting—that we will become desensitized to leaders who openly steal from the public, believing that this is just the way things are now.
Democracy doesn’t die all at once. It dies when people stop believing they can change the system. It dies when corruption becomes so overwhelming that people decide it’s not worth fighting. That’s the real goal of Trump and Musk’s unrelenting corruption: to create a society where the public is too exhausted to resist, too cynical to demand better, and too broken to fight back.
We don’t have to accept this. Corruption is not inevitable. It is a choice. And right now, America is at a crossroads: we either stand up and reject this blatant theft of our democracy, or we accept that we are no better than Russia, where oligarchs rule and the public suffers.
The question is simple: are we going to let this happen, or are we finally going to fight back?
I don't know what to do. Somebody has to lead the way.
On the way to being the most corrupt???? It’s in first place with no other administration in the rear view mirror.