'Staggering': Anderson Cooper taken aback as Trump's wealth explodes in office
CNN's Anderson Cooper was visibly shocked on Tuesday night by a report that President Donald Trump has increased his wealth by more than $1.4 billion during his second term.
The New York Times editorial board published an estimate of how Trump's crypto ventures, licensing deals, overseas real estate investments, and other revenue streams he's generated as president have affected his wealth. Cooper discussed the report with Ross Buettner, an investigative reporter at the Times, on Cooper's primetime show, "AC 360."
"This is staggering," Cooper said, "A figure of nearly $1.4 billion. I mean, it's closer to $1.5 billion. It's incredible."
The Times noted Trump has secured about 20 overseas projects during his second administration, including a $1.5 billion golf resort outside of Hanoi, Vietnam. The family has also pocketed $28 million from an Amazon documentary about his wife, Melania Trump, and another $90.5 million from settlements paid by media companies.
"This is just the first year," Cooper said. "It seems like there's no reason why ... I mean, they're open for business."