'Government of the billionaires': Trump's new pitch triggers explosive outcry
President-elect Donald Trump's proposed new arrangement for any company looking to expand in America garnered immediate suspicion and criticism Tuesday on social media.
In a post to his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, Trump said: "Any person or company investing ONE BILLION DOLLARS, OR MORE, in the United States of America, will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals. GET READY TO ROCK!!!"
This idea drew scorn and doubt from some commenters, who saw it — along with Trump's billionaire-run blue ribbon committee to advise on how to slash government programs — as the surrender of America to an oligarchy.
"For $1 billion, Trump says you can avoid environmental regulations," wrote MSNBC contributor Sam Stein on X.
"We’re have (sic) a land clearance sale, America," wrote Condé Nast legal affairs editor Luke Zaleski.
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The reception on rival platform Bluesky was similar.
"A government of oligarchs that will exist to solely serve the interests of oligarchs while distracting working people with culture wars," wrote former GOP adviser turned anti-Trump strategist Ron Filipkowski.
"A government of the billionaires, by the billionaires, for the billionaires," wrote history professor Aviel Roshwald.
Others weren't entirely opposed to an idea like this, as permitting reform has been a bipartisan idea gaining traction in recent years — but some questioned why Trump created such a transactional arrangement.
"Probably better just to expedite permit approvals regardless of whether one invests a billion dollars or more," wrote history professor Aaron Astor. "Permits shouldn't be granted if the project will cause environmental damage. The problem is the delay in approval (or denying) them. Ironically, downsizing the government of its Federal workforce will make permit approval even more inefficient."