The best way to get on Trump’s good side is to bribe him, apparently
Egotistical, incompetent, racist, and—according to even some in his inner circle—an idiot. And now there’s another title to add to the list of words describing President Donald Trump: mob boss.
Axios reported Friday that foreign leaders and business executives hoping to meet with Trump know that if they want to gain favor with him, they need to cough up a gift.
Many corporations are terrified of how Trump’s tariffs might impact their business and are scrambling to stay on his good side with peace offerings. Axios noted that companies like Apple, Eli Lilly, Hyundai, Johnson & Johnson, and SoftBank have all made massive investments in the U.S. since Trump won last year’s presidential election.
Take Hyundai, for example. This week, the South Korean automaker announced a $21 billion investment in the U.S. between 2025 and 2028, conveniently securing an exemption from Trump’s tariffs in the process. Of course, the administration wasted no time taking credit for the deal—even though it was Trump’s disastrous policies that created the problem in the first place.
“More investments, more jobs, and more money in the pockets of hardworking Americans—all thanks to President Trump’s economic policies,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt boasted on social media.
It’s not just corporations kissing the ring, either. In February, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum deployed the first of at least 10,000 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to help Trump curb immigration. In return? Trump hit pause on tariffs against Mexico. The country is now reportedly working to sidestep a looming 25% tariff on car imports.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted Trump a custom portrait. Days later, Trump griped that a painting of him hanging in the Colorado Capitol was too ugly.
Trump has always responded well to gifts, especially when they’re paired with flattery. Ahead of his inauguration in January, companies like Amazon, Google, and Meta poured money into his orbit. Their reward? A plum seat at the table.
Axios noted that Trump sees no issue with this kind of transactional politics. In fact, he thinks past presidents were foolish not to do the same.
“President Trump is a masterful negotiator and is using his astute business acumen to reshape our economy and reinvigorate American economic dominance,” a White House spokesperson told Axios. “Companies and countries are being forced to come to the table and retreat from their America Last policies and once again are betting on America.”
But the type of gift Trump prefers depends on the giver.
Take U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer for example. During his late February visit to the Oval Office, he presented Trump with an embossed letter from King Charles III, personally inviting him to Britain.
Starmer played up the invitation too, as if to flatter Trump even more. “This has never happened before,” he said. “This is unprecedented.”
Trump, of course, was delighted, gushing that the king was a “beautiful” and “wonderful” man.
Then there’s the case of Washington Post owner Jeffrey Bezos, who has transformed the once-critical newspaper into a much more MAGA-friendly outlet—a favor the president has complimented his billionaire buddy for.
The pattern here is clear: If you want to get on Trump’s good side, be prepared to grovel—or at least dangle something shiny in front of him.
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