It’s no longer enough to say this administration blurs ethical lines. It’s erasing them.

While ordinary Americans struggle with rising costs, those closest to power continue to profit. Consider Jared Kushner: while serving as a chief Middle East negotiator, he was also seeking to raise $5 billion for his private equity firm from governments in that region. That’s not a gray area. It’s a blatant conflict of interest–once unthinkable.

And he’s not alone. From Don Jr. and Eric’s drone venture to Stephen Miller’s private prison investments, the pattern is clear: proximity to power is a business model.

Now it takes a darker turn.

A recent fundraising appeal offers donors access to “private national security briefings,” promising the “inside scoop” on threats facing America–wrapped in urgency and exclusivity.

And if these promised “briefings” never materialize–as watchdogs suggest–then this isn’t just dangerous, it’s deceptive. Either way, it’s unacceptable.

Let’s not sanitize this: selling access to national security insights to paying supporters isn’t just inappropriate–it’s dangerous.

And it gets worse. The appeal reportedly invokes the image of fallen U.S. service members to drive donations. Using sacrifice as a marketing tool isn’t just insensitive–it’s morally indefensible.

War isn’t a brand. National security isn’t a subscription service. Intelligence–real or implied–must never be a donor perk.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about whether we still recognize a line between public duty and private gain–and whether we’re willing to defend it.

Some lines, once crossed, don’t come back.

JAMES SERENE

State College

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom