While US President Donald Trump and his administration’s foreign policy creates debate over international law and conduct, his unorthodox behaviour both domestically and internationally has also received criticism in terms of disregard for ethics and for presidential norms.

From profiting from crypto investments while being responsible for the rules governing the sector, to seeking to use his power to punish political enemies, the scale and conspicuousness of Trump’s activities has repeatedly fallen outside the boundaries of what would normally be considered acceptable conduct in Washington.

Further, some place a spotlight on the ‘presidential exemptions’ of which Trump has sought to take advantage.

President Trump, his administration and family members have denied any conflicts of interest or wrongdoing in terms of ethics, including regarding the cryptocurrency sector, gifts from foreign states and perceived promotion of specific companies.

Discussing the issues in this Global Insight podcast:

• Richard Painter, Associate Counsel to the President and chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W Bush
• Kedric Payne, Campaign Legal Center, Washington, DC and former Deputy Chief Counsel at the Office of Congressional Ethics
• Jonathan Katz, Governance Studies Fellow, Brookings; Co-Editor, 2025 Democracy Playbook

Listen on Spotify

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