Donald Trump’s career is largely built on deals, a form of entrepreneurship that begins with his needs and feeds his wants. This narcissism is tied to his father’s real-estate dealings in New York, which relies on personal reputation, speculation on future asset values, and the ability to launder spotty career records. Trump’s incessant boasts about being an apex dealmaker cast light on almost every aspect of his approach to his presidential decision-making.
Trump has figured out that dealmaking does not need to be successful in order to massively increase his wealth. Deals, whether in finance, real estate, or any other part of the economy, are just one step in the process of reaching full-fledged, binding agreements subject to the force of law. In the hands of someone like Trump, deals are ways to evade, postpone, or subvert the efficient work of markets.
Trump’s claims to successful deals are the key to his brand and profitmaking worldwide, either directly or through the business endeavors of his sons. These range from his latest Trump perfume and mobile telephone services, Maga accessories, golf courses around the world, real estate and resorts, and highly profitable cryptocurrency holdings. In every case, his deals either lead to further deals, which service his branding machine, or they lead to direct increases in his personal and corporate wealth.
Trump’s “egonomics” – the intimate connection between his narcissistic urges and his wish for increasing his stock of money – defines his “egonomics,” the intimate connection between his narcissistic urges and his wish for increasing his stock of money. The governing principles of his economic policy have nothing to do with America getting its due, restoring dignity to the working class, or power or prestige. The object of everything he does is money, and in the service of the boundlessness of money, which Trump has made the defining object of his desire.
