Trump’s “Gold Card” program is now live—effectively a visa-for-cash scheme—allowing $1–$2M “gifts” to the Commerce Department to help qualify for the Card. Commerce is directed to spend these “gifts” to promote commerce. Here’s why it's an illegal slush fund.

So, uh/ who paid for this?

The Trump administration is building a shadow budget — corporate, billionaire, and foreign money funding everything from a new White House ballroom to possibly even nuclear reactors. My new @justsecurity.org piece lays out fixes Congress should adopt now. www.justsecurity.org/125302/shado...

The U.S. announced a $350B deal with South Korea on Friday, and withheld the text. South Korea released it. It’s the Japan model again: foreign-funded spending chosen by the president, outside Congress, likely violating appropriations laws + the Treaty Clause. www.korea.kr/common/downl...

$550 billion in Japanese funding. Directed by the President. Outside Congress’s control. My new @justsecurity.org piece explains how the agreement bypasses the Appropriations Clause and violates the laws that safeguard Congress’s power of the purse. www.justsecurity.org/123478/trump...

Trump’s law firm settlements may violate federal law that guards Congress’ power to control funds, @scott-levy.bsky.social explains. "They mark another step in the erosion of Congress’s power of the purse.” www.justsecurity.org/112943/trump...