There are moments in American political discourse that test the limits of irony, and this week delivered one for the record books.
Former President Joe Biden stood before a gathering of Democrats in Omaha, Nebraska, celebrating Tuesday’s electoral victories for his party, when he decided to take aim at President Donald Trump’s family finances. The accusation he leveled was bold, perhaps too bold given his own family’s financial history.
“Has anyone noticed how much the Trump family has made while he’s been president? A reported $1.8 billion,” Biden said, his voice starting soft before rising to a shout. “Can you imagine if any other president in American history did that? Can you imagine what would happen?”
The question hung in the air, and across the country, observers who have followed the Biden family’s financial dealings over the years could not help but notice the rich irony of the moment.
Let us examine the facts, because in journalism, facts still matter.
President Trump donated his entire presidential salary to charity throughout his time in office. This is documented and verifiable. Furthermore, financial records indicate that Trump stands alone among recent presidents in actually losing wealth while serving in the nation’s highest office. When he first entered the White House in 2017, his net worth stood at approximately $3 billion. By the time he left office in early 2021, that figure had dropped to $2.3 billion.
Now consider the other side of this equation.
Biden himself entered the presidency in 2021 with a net worth of roughly $8 million. When he departed the White House in 2025, that figure had grown to $10 million. A modest increase, perhaps, but an increase nonetheless.
The pattern becomes more striking when we look at other recent Democratic presidents. Barack Obama saw his wealth soar from $1.3 million to $70 million during his time in office. Bill Clinton’s financial trajectory proved even more dramatic, jumping from $1.3 million to $120 million.
Then there are the questions that have dogged the Biden family for years. House investigations and bank records have revealed multimillion-dollar deals with foreign entities that occurred during and after Biden’s vice presidency. These are not wild accusations or conspiracy theories. These are matters of documented record that have been investigated by congressional committees.
The evening in Omaha featured other Biden criticisms of Trump, delivered in his characteristic style that shifts from whisper to shout with little warning. At one point, he scolded the current president directly: “I just want you to know, you work for us, Mr. President. We don’t work for you.”
Fair enough. That principle applies to all presidents, past and present.
But when a former president stands before an audience and questions whether anyone has noticed how much another president’s family has profited from the office, he invites scrutiny of his own record. That is the nature of public service and public accountability.
The American people deserve leaders who hold themselves to the same standards they demand of others. They deserve transparency about how public servants and their families conduct their financial affairs. And they deserve honest accounting of who gained what, when, and how.
This is not about partisan point-scoring. This is about consistency, accountability, and the basic expectation that those who serve in public office should not use that position for personal enrichment.
The facts speak clearly enough on their own. Whether anyone chooses to listen is another matter entirely.
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