As we watch President Donald Trump use his second term to grift like never before, it’s tough to remember that when Trump took office in January 2017, his attempts to leverage the presidency to line his pockets were positively quaint compared to now. Back then, he was just finding his feet, figuring out where and who to push and just how much he could get away with.

He could never have anticipated, lo those many years ago, that he would lead an insurrection, steal government documents, be convicted of 34 felonies, and be found liable for sexual abuse. Yet thanks to Chief Justice John Roberts giving him sweet, sweet blanket immunity, Trump has returned to office tanned, rested, and ready to commit some much bigger crimes.

Let’s look back on how our bribe-fueled tyrant started out.

Who co

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