Rachel Maddow

Here's the headline in The Wall Street Journal. The headline is anxious trading partners promise to buy American to stave off Trump's tariffs. You've seen a million articles like this, right? The bulk of the article under that headline is about what you would expect. Again, you've seen a lot like this. It's about various countries trying to strike deals with the U.S.

so they can get themselves some relief, some favored treatment. from Trump amid his gigantic, catastrophic world tariff experiment. So the countries are trying to get themselves some kind of relief, and among those discussed in this article is the nation of Vietnam.

so they can get themselves some relief, some favored treatment. from Trump amid his gigantic, catastrophic world tariff experiment. So the countries are trying to get themselves some kind of relief, and among those discussed in this article is the nation of Vietnam.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Vietnam has been trying to fend off harsh treatment under Trump's tariffs by, number one, buying American jets, Number two, allowing the Starlink internet service that's owned by Donald Trump's top campaign donor, Elon Musk, to operate inside their country. Weird that they decided that was a good idea. And number three, here's the kicker.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Vietnam has been trying to fend off harsh treatment under Trump's tariffs by, number one, buying American jets, Number two, allowing the Starlink internet service that's owned by Donald Trump's top campaign donor, Elon Musk, to operate inside their country. Weird that they decided that was a good idea. And number three, here's the kicker.

Vietnam has also, quote, decided to accelerate the approvals for a $1.5 billion Trump resort in Vietnam. Oh. Weird how that might get you better treatment from the US government. I mean, I'm sure Vietnam has lots of good reasons to make sure a Trump Organization resort project is moving forward. Lots and lots and lots of them.

Vietnam has also, quote, decided to accelerate the approvals for a $1.5 billion Trump resort in Vietnam. Oh. Weird how that might get you better treatment from the US government. I mean, I'm sure Vietnam has lots of good reasons to make sure a Trump Organization resort project is moving forward. Lots and lots and lots of them.

It's weird that they think that might be correlated with the US government giving them some sort of favorable treatment. But let's just stick a pin in that one for a second. There's another story I want to tell you.

It's weird that they think that might be correlated with the US government giving them some sort of favorable treatment. But let's just stick a pin in that one for a second. There's another story I want to tell you.

And I will tell you, even though I'm going to use the word cryptocurrency in telling you this story, don't worry, you don't have to understand anything about cryptocurrency in order to get this story. But here it is. A couple of years ago, the Justice Department accused an online cryptocurrency company that's called Binance of being basically a supermarket for crime.

And I will tell you, even though I'm going to use the word cryptocurrency in telling you this story, don't worry, you don't have to understand anything about cryptocurrency in order to get this story. But here it is. A couple of years ago, the Justice Department accused an online cryptocurrency company that's called Binance of being basically a supermarket for crime.

DOJ accused Binance of being a giant money laundering hub for terrorists and cyber criminals and customers in sanctioned countries like Iran and Russia. Binance pled guilty. They paid over $4 billion. That was the largest fine ever in the history of crypto. Its founder spent four months in prison. Ever since, Binance has been overseen by US government-appointed monitors who ensure that Binance

DOJ accused Binance of being a giant money laundering hub for terrorists and cyber criminals and customers in sanctioned countries like Iran and Russia. Binance pled guilty. They paid over $4 billion. That was the largest fine ever in the history of crypto. Its founder spent four months in prison. Ever since, Binance has been overseen by US government-appointed monitors who ensure that Binance

is no longer a supermarket for crime. It is now following the law and making sure Binance is only operating overseas and not operating in the United States at all. Now, Binance, naturally, they would very much like to get out from under that oversight, and they would very much like to operate in the United States again.

is no longer a supermarket for crime. It is now following the law and making sure Binance is only operating overseas and not operating in the United States at all. Now, Binance, naturally, they would very much like to get out from under that oversight, and they would very much like to operate in the United States again.

But to do that, they need to get these pesky government monitors off their back. They need the U.S. government to decide they are out of the doghouse. And it would make their return easier, of course, if their founder were no longer a convicted felon. Well, when Donald Trump won the election last year, Binance sensed opportunity.

But to do that, they need to get these pesky government monitors off their back. They need the U.S. government to decide they are out of the doghouse. And it would make their return easier, of course, if their founder were no longer a convicted felon. Well, when Donald Trump won the election last year, Binance sensed opportunity.

This is also from the Wall Street Journal, quote, at an Abu Dhabi crypto conference last December, weeks before the inauguration, in the Wales-only back room, accessible to attendees who had paid $10,000 for a VIP pass, Binance's founder mingled with Trump's sons. Trump's son, Eric, and Trump allies.

This is also from the Wall Street Journal, quote, at an Abu Dhabi crypto conference last December, weeks before the inauguration, in the Wales-only back room, accessible to attendees who had paid $10,000 for a VIP pass, Binance's founder mingled with Trump's sons. Trump's son, Eric, and Trump allies.

Eric was there to promote World Liberty, a crypto venture the Trump family had founded months earlier. For World Liberty, Binance's market power could help turn it into a serious player in the crypto industry. Binance has more than 250 million users. The more World Liberty cryptocurrency in circulation, of course, quote, the more the Trump family could profit.