Citadel’s Ken Griffin says Trump White House has ‘enriched’ family members

Ken Griffin, the founder of Citadel, has accused the Trump White House of enriching the Trump family through various means. Griffin cited the Trump-family cryptocurrency venture as a prime example, with a $500 million stake sale to an Abu Dhabi royal aide. He argued that senior advisor roles and business leadership positions held by Trump family members created a pipeline for high-value private deals.

Key Points

• Griffin claims that the Trump White House has made decisions that have been ‘very, very enriching’ to the families of those in the administration
• He cites the Trump-family cryptocurrency venture as a prime example, with a $500 million stake sale to an Abu Dhabi royal aide
• Griffin argues that senior advisor roles and business leadership positions held by Trump family members created a pipeline for high-value private deals

  Quotes from Ken Griffin

  ‘This administration has definitely made missteps in choosing decisions or courses that have been very, very enriching to the families of those in the administration.’ ‘An aide to an Abu Dhabi royal recently bought a 49% stake in the Trump family’s cryptocurrency venture for half a billion dollars – a transaction that would not have happened without the White House’s direct involvement.’

Sources

• Financial Times – “Citadel’s Ken Griffin says Trump White House has ‘enriched’ family members” (Feb 4, 2026)
• New York Post – “Ken Griffin accuses White House of showing ‘favoritism’ in dealings with business world” (Feb 3, 2026)
• Forbes – “Billionaire GOP donor Ken Griffin criticizes Trump administration for enriching family members” (Feb 4, 2026)