Michael D'Antonio is the author of the book "Never Enough: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success" and co-author with Peter Eisner of "The Shadow President: The Truth About Mike Pence." The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. View more opinion articles on CNN.

(CNN) With suffering all around and the world seeming to stand still, we search for reasons to feel good. President Donald Trump has found one that is, of course, all about him and all about money. To be clear, it's about our money, even though he's going to pretend that it's his.

Michael D'Antonio

In a stroke of egotistical genius, if not the stroke of a Sharpie, the president has made sure his name will be printed on the checks that millions of Americans will receive as part of the government's response to the economic losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It will appear below the words "Economic Impact Payment" and will encourage recipients to connect the aid with the man who occupies the White House.

This move speaks to Trump's creativity as it employs a twist on his previous method of using money to buy power. In the past he bragged about using donations to win access to politicians. Now, he's sending it to the voters , obviously hoping they will use the power they have at the ballot box on his behalf

As with so much in his presidency, the name-on-the-checks scheme violates the norms that have been honored by every one of his predecessors and the spirit of the laws governing the Internal Revenue Service, which is sending the payment. However, it strikes three pleasant notes that have long played in Trump's head, producing a chord he must find irresistible.

The first note is, of course, the name. Decades after he joined the family business and set out to emblazon "Trump" in the largest possible (and preferably golden) letters on everything he touched , his election meant that the world would know, and never forget his name. But as we all know, the president doesn't give up a trick that works. Ever on the lookout for opportunity, he apparently asked if he might put his spikey Sharpie signature on the payments. The problem here was that the president isn't authorized to sign federal checks. The solution involved printing the name on a memo line