Progressive Lisa McCormick condemns Trump’s "Gold and Power" remarks

In a sharply worded blog post, progressive activist Lisa McCormick rebuked President Donald Trump’s recent declaration that “HE WHO HAS THE GOLD MAKES THE RULES,” calling it a revealing glimpse into what she described as a corrupt and greed-driven worldview.

McCormick argued that Trump’s statement reflects a philosophy in which wealth is equated with righteousness and power is reserved for the ruthless, rather than earned through moral leadership.

McCormick dismissed Trump’s boast as a grotesque oversimplification of global economics, asserting that true greatness is measured by character, integrity, and a commitment to justice—qualities she said Trump fundamentally lacks.

She cited his history of legal troubles, including two impeachments and multiple indictments, as evidence of a man who has “spent his life lying, cheating, and exploiting others,” from defrauding students at Trump University to breaking promises to American workers.

The woman who stunned the political establishment when she challenged corrupt US Senator Bob Menendez in 2018, condemned Trump’s presidency as a period of chaos, pointing to his trade wars and pandemic mismanagement as examples of failed leadership.

"The United States is not strong because of its wealth alone," said McCormick. "We are strong because our nation stands for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law—not the law of the jungle where the richest predator dominates. Trump’s vision is one of tyranny, where the powerful crush the vulnerable, where billionaires dictate policy, and where the planet burns while oligarchs hoard resources."

"I believe in a different America—one where no person’s worth is determined by their wealth, where we measure success by how we lift each other up, not by how much gold sits in a vault," said McCormick. "Humanity faces real and escalating existential threats—ecological collapse, nuclear proliferation, unregulated AI, deadly pandemics, cyber warfare, economic and societal breakdown, authoritarianism, and resource depletion—yet Trump’s obsession with gold is a gaudy distraction from the urgent work of building a just, sustainable world."

McCormick warned that Trump’s vision leads to tyranny, where the powerful crush the vulnerable, billionaires dictate policy, and environmental crises are ignored in favor of oligarchic hoarding. She contrasted this with her own belief in an America where no person’s worth is tied to wealth and success is measured by collective progress rather than private accumulation.

She also criticized Trump’s recent promotion of a $60 Bible—branded with his name and nationalistic symbols—as a “blasphemous” marketing ploy, accusing him of distorting Christianity for political gain.

"The staggering irony of Donald Trump—a man who postures as the standard-bearer of Christian Nationalism while hawking a blasphemous $60 God Bless the USA Bible like some cheap prosperity gospel grift—is that he remains utterly ignorant of the actual teachings of Jesus Christ," said McCormick. "The true Golden Rule, as spoken by Christ in Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12: 'Do to others as you would have them do to you'—the foundation of justice, compassion, and true leadership—stands in direct opposition to Trump’s corrupt, self-serving mantra of 'He who has the gold makes the rules.' Donald Trump will never understand that. But the American people do—and together, we will reject his toxic greed and reclaim our nation’s soul."

McCormick said she expects upcoming political struggles to be a battle for the country’s soul, urging voters to choose moral leadership over what she described as a corrupt and self-serving ideology.