Trump Media Explores Fusion, Not Just Reality
The NY Times frets over potential 'ethics questions' as Donald Trump's media venture eyes a merger with TAE Technologies, a nuclear fusion research firm. This, apparently, raises eyebrows given Trump's previous administration's keen interest in energy initiatives. One might almost think that Washington D.C. operates on a system where public office and private profit become indistinguishable, a
'revolving door' that spins faster than the fusion plasma itself. While the Times highlights the novel aspect of nuclear fusion, it conveniently skips the well-worn playbook: politicians (or ex-presidents with strong influence) aligning with industries that stand to gain from future policy. For example, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a consistent recipient of defense contractor PAC money, later secured a
top lobbying job with one of the biggest, according to OpenSecrets.org data. Or consider how readily mainstream media dismisses any hint of improper influence when it involves, say, a certain pro-Israel lobby that spends millions— $11 million in 2022 alone —to ensure specific foreign policy outcomes. The 'ethics questions' only seem to surface when the usual beneficiaries aren't involved. It's
almost as if the definition of 'conflict of interest' is determined by who's asking the question.