Stephen King Criticizes Trump's Salary Donation, Points to Crypto Wealth

Author Stephen King criticized President Donald Trump's decision to highlight his presidential salary donations, arguing that they are insignificant compared with the billions of dollars Trump has reportedly earned through cryptocurrency ventures, Aniket Verma reported for Benzinga.

Author Stephen King criticized President Donald Trump's comments about donating his presidential salary. (Photo: Kevin Payravi Flickr)

King was responding to Trump's May 2025 interview with NBC News, in which the president said he was the only president—apart from the "possible exception" of George Washington—to donate his entire presidential salary back to the federal government.

Under U.S. law, the president receives an annual salary of US$400,000, along with a US$50,000 expense allowance.

Reacting to Trump's remarks, King wrote: "Big whoop. Other presidents have done it, and he's made a couple of billion on crypto."

According to the report, Trump's cryptocurrency ventures generated more than US$1 billion in 2025, including over US$520 million from token sales associated with World Liberty Financial and more than US$635 million in royalties from the Official Trump memecoin.

Forbes estimates Trump's net worth at more than US$6 billion, up from approximately US$2.3 billion in 2024.

The reported earnings have fueled conflict-of-interest concerns, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) calling for stronger ethics safeguards in cryptocurrency legislation to prevent presidents from personally profiting from the industry.