Trump dwarfs his predecessors in the number of ultra-rich in his second White House, report shows

Wealth, perhaps second only to loyalty, has been a prized attribute for Donald Trump during his second presidency.

The number of people worth at least $100 million whom the Republican president has appointed to his administration is more than four times the combined total under the three previous presidents, according to a report from the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen.

It’s the numbers for the Trump administration, in the context of previous administrations, that stand out in Public Citizen’s report, published on Monday. In all, 57 Trump officials are worth at least $100 million, including 17 ambassadors and the remaining 40 in senior posts across the executive branch.

Look no further than Trump's Cabinet. Eight of its 23 members fit the category, notably Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Education Secretary Linda McMahon, both billionaires.

The president, himself a billionaire, has described his inclination toward appointing the ultrawealthy as deference to financial success. And yet, Trump, who owes his White House comeback to support from middle-income, working Americans drawn to his pledge to lower everyday costs, now faces a midterm election electorate decidedly less keen on his handling of the economy.

Presidents have long sought counsel from the nation’s wealthiest people and tapped some for high-profile administrative leadership roles. Likewise, presidents routinely reward wealthy and influential supporters with ambassadorships.

Among the most notable examples is Andrew Mellon, the aluminum, oil and banking tycoon who was among the handful of the nation’s wealthiest people in the 1920s and served as treasury secretary for three presidents.

The Trump officials worth at least $100 million include Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg and Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler, who are also billionaires, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and special envoy Steve Witkoff, both worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

By comparison, Republican George W. Bush’s administration and Democrat Joe Biden’s each included five members worth $100 million or more. Democrat Barack Obama’s included three, the report states.

A government populated by so many of the economic elite presents potential problems, the report's authors said.

"When the people holding the reins of government are drawn overwhelmingly from the ranks of the ultra-rich, it leads to misplaced incentives and corruption, and begs the question, ‘Whose interests they are truly serving?” said Lisa Gilbert, Public Citizen’s co-president.

The list does not include Trump, whose net worth Forbes estimates at more than $6 billion. Nor does it include space and social media giant Elon Musk, who advised Trump last year on an effort to reduce the federal government's size, scope and workforce and is the world's wealthiest person, with a net worth Forbes estimates at about $860 billion.

Trump's views are well established: Financial success is evidence of executive mastery and negotiating strength.

“They have great competence, those people. Incredible competence. Some of the smartest business leaders,” Trump said last year in explaining why he put considerable weight on advice from business executives.

He has also pointed to investments by wealthy people as a signal of future economic growth. To encourage billionaires to deliver, Trump, in his first year back in the White House, pursued policies on artificial intelligence and financial regulation that could benefit wealthy people, along with tax cuts and reduced regulatory burdens for large-scale investments.

Still, last month, only 32% of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, down from 40% at the beginning of his second term and as his Republican Party faces headwinds in its attempt to hold both majorities in Congress in November.

This story has been corrected to show Lutnick is commerce secretary, not treasury secretary.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick speaks during an event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets running back Breece Hall strained his groin during practice Monday and will have tests to determine the severity of the injury.

Coach Aaron Glenn appeared cautiously optimistic after practice that Hall’s injury wasn't serious.

“I don’t think it was a big deal,” he said, “but I want to make sure I get the evaluation on that.”

Hall, the team’s top running back coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing season, caught a pass late in the practice session, pulled up and fell to the rain-slicked grass. He got up and walked gingerly to the sideline, where trainers appeared to be examining his upper right thigh/abdomen area.

“My stomach dropped a little bit, for sure,” backup running back Braelon Allen said. “From the sound of it, it don't seem too serious, so hope he can get back as quickly as possible.”

The 25-year-old Hall is considered a key to New York’s offense. He received a three-year contract extension in the offseason from the Jets worth up to $45.75 million. The team had used the franchise tag on Hall, whose contract — which will pay him $15.25 million per year — made him the third-highest paid running back in the NFL at the time.

Hall ran for a career-high 1,065 yards last season despite missing the final game with a knee ailment, becoming the first Jets player to top 1,000 yards rushing in a season since Chris Ivory in 2015. The 2022 second-round draft pick from Iowa State has 1,000 yards from scrimmage in three straight seasons, making him just the sixth player — and fifth running back — in franchise history to accomplish that feat.

If Hall needs to miss some time, the Jets' backfield will be a bit short-handed. Isaiah Davis, a fifth-round pick in 2024, is sidelined with what Glenn has said is a minor knee injury. Allen, Kene Nwangwu and undrafted rookies Sam Scott and Chip Trayanum are the other running backs on New York's roster.

“Injuries are a part of this league,” Glenn said. “It's the biggest equalizer in this league. I think as a coach, obviously you don't want to see any of your players go down, but you also have to continue to move forward.”

Allen, who was limited to four games with a knee injury last season, would step into the starter's role if Hall is out for any practices and the two remaining preseason games. The 2024 fourth-rounder said it was a “sigh of relief” to run for a 31-yard touchdown in the preseason opener against Tampa Bay on Saturday night, showing he's healthy.

"I know that most people think that, that once you lose a starter, there's a huge drop-off," Glenn said. “I like to look at it like all of our guys are starters.”

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) leads his team onto the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) runs from Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ayden Garnes, left, during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Jets running back Breece Hall runs up field during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)