Republicans have spent a lot of time trying to prove that President Joe Biden was involved in his son Hunter’s overseas business deals. They looked at phone records, grilled witnesses, even brought in people who bought Hunter’s paintings to see if there was any wrongdoing. Despite all that, they never actually found any direct evidence that Joe Biden did anything corrupt. Still, they claimed it was enough to consider impeachment.
At the same time, Donald Trump has been openly making money through things like his own cryptocurrency token. He even holds private dinners for the top buyers of this coin and gives them special access to him. Some of these people have legal troubles or other financial interests, but they’re still welcomed if they spend enough.
Republican leaders don’t seem bothered by this. House Speaker Mike Johnson said it’s fine because Trump is doing everything out in the open. According to Johnson, Trump isn’t hiding his money-making ventures behind fake companies—he’s letting the public see it all, so it must be okay.
Others, like CNN commentator Scott Jennings, echoed that argument. The idea is that if something shady is done publicly, it somehow makes it less shady. Trump and his allies like to claim he’s the most transparent president ever just because he talks to the media a lot, unlike Biden, who keeps a lower profile.
But critics say that just because something is done in public doesn’t make it ethical. Legal experts point out that Trump is clearly mixing his business interests with his political role, which creates a serious conflict of interest. For example, he’s pushing crypto policy that benefits the industry, including companies connected to him, while also making personal money off it.
In comparison, Biden’s interactions with his son’s business contacts involved things like polite greetings and small talk—not policy decisions or personal financial gain. Even then, Biden tried to keep some distance to avoid the appearance of a conflict.
Still, Republicans keep pushing the narrative that the Bidens are corrupt. Their main claim was that Biden got a \$5 million bribe from a Ukrainian company, but that story came from an informant who made it all up and was later sent to prison.
While Biden has never been impeached, Republicans continue investigating his administration. Now they’re asking to question his doctor and others, trying to paint a picture of a president who’s weak or hiding something.
Meanwhile, the public seems to see more corruption on the Republican side, especially with Trump involved. But there’s also growing concern that corruption is a problem across both parties. Even Democrats have backed bills that help the crypto industry, which raises questions about whether they’re serious about fighting unethical behavior.
Critics warn that when someone like Trump openly mixes money and power, it sets a dangerous example. If he can do it without consequences, what’s to stop other politicians—governors, senators, mayors—from doing the same?
In the end, being open about unethical behavior doesn’t make it right. It just means people can see the corruption more clearly—and the danger is that it becomes normal.
