Topic
8 entries.
“[paraphrase] I will ban federal bureaucrats from taking jobs at the companies they deal with and regulate.”
No such ban was enacted. PolitiFact rated the promise Promise Broken in its January 2026 review; the administration instead rescinded existing ethics pledges and staffed agencies with former industry officials, with departing officials moving into regulated industries without restriction.
“[paraphrase] I will sign no new foreign deals while in office — I turned down a $2 billion Dubai golf deal — and the Trump Organization will donate all profits from foreign government payments to the U.S. Treasury.”
Trump never divested; he moved assets into a revocable trust he could draw from and his sons ran the company. Ethics experts noted the foreign-profits pledge excluded resorts and let Trump define "profit" himself, and that he already had two existing Dubai golf deals with the same developer. When the Trump Organization said in 2018 it had donated foreign profits, it refused to disclose the amount or any country-by-country breakdown; House Oversight Democrats demanded proof and got none.
“[paraphrase] A five-year ban on executive branch officials lobbying the government after they leave, and a lifetime ban on lobbying for a foreign government.”
Deadline Oct 23, 2016 · 9 years, 10 months overdue
Executive Order 13770, signed January 28, 2017, contained the pledge but with exemptions, and the lifetime foreign-lobbying ban applied only to lobbying registered under FARA, not to broader foreign consulting. Trump revoked the order entirely on January 19-20, 2021, hours before leaving office, releasing all appointees from the pledge.
“If I'm elected president, I will push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress.”
No term-limits amendment was proposed by the White House or brought to a vote in either chamber during the term. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in November 2016 there was no chance of it passing, and the administration did not pursue it further.
“[paraphrase] A lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government.”
Deadline Oct 18, 2016 · 9 years, 11 months overdue
Executive Order 13770 of January 28, 2017 included a lifetime ban limited to activity requiring FARA registration. Trump revoked the order on January 19-20, 2021, eliminating the ban. A companion promise to ban foreign lobbyists from raising money in American elections was never implemented; PolitiFact rated both broken.
“[paraphrase] Trump repeatedly presented the Donald J. Trump Foundation as the vehicle through which he would deliver his publicly pledged charitable giving.”
New York's attorney general sued in June 2018. On November 7, 2019, a judge ordered Trump to pay $2 million in damages for misusing foundation money, finding his campaign had "orchestrated" the veterans fundraiser to further his political campaign; Trump admitted to things including a $10,000 charity payment for a six-foot portrait of himself. The foundation was dissolved, its remaining $1.7 million distributed to eight charities, and the Trump children were required to take compulsory training.
“I'm self-funding my own campaign. It's my money. ... I don't need anybody's money.”
Trump passively accepted small-dollar contributions from the day he announced; by May 2016 supporters had given his campaign roughly $14 million. After clinching the nomination he began fundraising in earnest with the RNC and from major donors. In the end he personally funded about 20 percent of the 2016 effort — the other 80 percent was other people's money — and by 2020 and 2024 he was running conventional donor-funded campaigns.
“[paraphrase] I'm going to surround myself only with the best and most serious people.”
The administration had record senior-staff turnover, with Brookings measuring roughly 92 percent turnover among A-team positions over four years. Six Trump associates, including campaign chairman Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn, adviser Roger Stone and attorney Michael Cohen, were convicted or pleaded guilty to federal crimes.