Childhood
In 1930, 18-year-old native of a Scottish village, Mary MacLeod, came to New York on vacation. There, fate brought her together with 25-year-old Fred Trump, the son of German immigrants, who at such a young age already owned his own construction company. 
In 1936 the couple got married; the couple bought a cottage in a respectable area of Queens, the father of the family continued to engage in the construction business, and Mary devoted herself entirely to motherhood. Donald Trump was the fourth child in the family, but, having inherited his father’s tough and assertive character, he was not going to get used to the role of his younger brother. Neither his parents nor his school teachers could cope with the obnoxious Donald, so at the age of 13 the boy was faced with a fact: he was going to the New York Military Academy.
As a cadet, Trump proved himself to be a disciplined student who boasted good grades, social skills, and athletic success. The parents could not be happier with their son, who had suddenly come to his senses, and even began to set him up as an example to the other children.
First steps on the path to success
In 1964, Trump graduated from the military academy with flying colors and entered Fordham University. After studying there for 4 semesters, he transferred to the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1968, he received a bachelor's degree in economics, after which his father accepted his son into the family business. Donald became seriously interested in real estate, hoping in the future to become the heir to the Trump construction empire and multiply his father's fortune many times over. 
The first project entrusted to Donald was the grandiose residential complex Swifton Village in Ohio, designed for 1,200 apartments for the “middle class”. Under the leadership of the younger Trump, the company managed to complete the project within a year, spending $6 million on construction and earning $12 million from the sale of apartments.
Double income is a more than excellent start to a career, but Trump was not going to stop there. The construction of apartments in Ohio was sponsored by the state, but Donald understood that for financial support for more serious projects it was worth turning not to government organizations, but to the powers that be: bankers, top managers, oil tycoons. In 1971, Donald rented an apartment in the heart of New York - on the island of Manhattan. Here his circle of acquaintances quickly expanded with influential people.
The rise of an empire
In 1974, Trump, with the help of new connections, won a tender to restore the dilapidated Commodore Hotel. Since many of the buildings near the hotel were also in poor condition and needed a financial injection, as did the city itself, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, Donald managed to obtain tax breaks from the mayor's office for a period of 40 years. Moreover, the largest banks in New York provided him with a mortgage loan totaling $70 million. There was only one condition: Trump had to put the area in order. 
Donald's firm got down to business, and six years later, Manhattan residents were able to see the 25-story monolith of glass and steel that had replaced the dull yellow building, surrounded by new, functional and livable neighborhoods. Much later, in October 1996, half of the rights to the hotel were bought by one of the largest hotel chains, Hyatt, increasing Trump's fortune by $142 million.
In 1979, Donald had his eye on a piece of land on 5th Avenue, across from the Tiffany & Co jewelry store. When the businessman was asked what made him buy this particular place, he replied: “The wealthiest people in New York always hang out at Tiffany’s stores.” By 1983, the 58-story Trump Tower skyscraper rose on this site, surpassing all city buildings in height.
The house instantly gained fame as an elite complex: the windows of the apartments overlooked Central Park, a series of boutiques and restaurants were located below, the floor was tiled with pink marble, and a three-meter fountain was in the hall. All the apartments were bought up within a few months, and Trump became $200 million richer.
When gambling was legalized in New Jersey in 1977, Trump realized that he had a tasty morsel that should not be missed. In 1980, he purchased a plot of land in Atlantic City, entrusting his brother Robert with obtaining a gambling license. In 1982, the grandiose Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino hotel and entertainment complex worth $250 million was opened. In 1986, Donald bought the city's Hilton hotel and built the $320 million Trump's Castle in its place. At the same time, he began construction of the largest hotel-casino in the world, the Taj Mahal, which opened its doors to visitors in 1990.
On the verge of bankruptcy
By the early 90s, Donald's fortune was estimated at $1 billion. In addition to a chain of hotels, casinos and luxury residential skyscrapers, the Trump empire included the Trump Shuttle Airline, the New Jersey Generals football team and a huge number of small businesses that Donald himself lost count of. Gradually, he began to lose control over the business that had grown to incredible proportions. 
New projects were financed with borrowed funds, which was quite risky. Trump's creditors included large banks and investment companies: Citicorp, Merrill Lynch, Chase Manhattan. The businessman’s debts were growing rapidly, and the threat of bankruptcy was aggravated by the brewing crisis in the real estate sector. In the early 90s, debts to creditors reached $9.8 billion, of which Trump had to pay $900 million out of his own pocket. On the verge of bankruptcy, the businessman was forced to mortgage the Trump Tower skyscraper. The press added fuel to the fire, criticizing Donald's every move.
Thanks to his innate perseverance, Donald managed to get out of the debt hole. Gambling revenues covered most of the debt; by 1997, the tycoon had completely repaid his debts and began working on new projects. In 2001, Trump's company, together with the Korean enterprise Daewoo, completed the construction of the 72-story Trump World Tower. The 262-meter skyscraper has risen exactly opposite the UN headquarters in Manhattan.
The 2008 financial crisis was a new shock to Trump's construction empire. Due to falling sales, he was unable to repay the 40 million loan on time. Although the billionaire could easily pay off the debt with his own funds, he filed for bankruptcy, claiming that the crisis was force majeure. On February 17, 2009, Trump announced his decision to leave the Board of Directors of his own company.
Television appearances
In 2002, Trump launched the prime-time reality show The Apprentice. Participants had to compete among themselves for the right to become a top manager in Trump's company. Unlucky contestants were greeted with the businessman's signature phrase: “You're fired!” (in 2004 he even applied to register the trademark “You are fired!”). For each episode of the first season, Donald received about $50 thousand, but with the start of the second season, the cost of one episode increased to $3 million - so Trump became one of the highest paid presenters on television. 
In 2006, Trump, together with NBC, bought out the Miss Universe Organization, which organized the Miss Universe and Miss America beauty pageants.
The construction magnate also appeared with cameos in several films and TV series, for example, in the comedy Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, he explained to young Macaulay Culkin how to get into the hall.
Donald Trump cameo in Home Alone 2
In 2007, Trump got his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which the businessman received for creating the reality show “The Apprentice.”
In October of the same year, Donald was invited to Larry King's studio, where he sharply spoke about the foreign policy of George W. Bush and the appearance of Angelina Jolie. Many people remember other words spoken on the evening broadcast: then Trump said that in the next elections he would certainly support Rudolph Giuliani and Hillary Clinton if they nominated themselves for the presidency. He was reminded of this speech in 2013, when Trump was again visiting the host.
Donald Trump visiting Larry King
Donald Trump's political career. Most Influential Republican
Trump had been tipped for the US presidency since the 80s, but at that time the needle of Donald’s political compass was constantly darting between the right and left poles. By 2009, he had more or less decided on his own views and joined the Republican Party. They tried to nominate Donald, an outstanding economist and manager, to participate in the presidential elections back in 2011, but the businessman said that he was not ready to leave the private sector. 
On June 16, 2015, Trump made it clear to US residents that he had changed his mind, announcing his readiness to fight for the presidency. Trump's presidential campaign was carefully planned: first he visited the state of New Hampshire, traditionally considered a Republican stronghold, then toured Nevada and California, states that previously received a solid financial injection from the Donald. Trump also repeatedly held rallies in his support to entertain the electorate.
Trump's popularity was influenced by his character: the newly minted politician was accustomed to speaking openly, without veiling his speech with euphemisms. Because of this feature, he gained fame as an eccentric truth teller.
The main messages of the Trump campaign concerned the following areas of American society: immigration, health care, the economy and domestic policy. The Republican treated the people of Mexico and the Middle East extremely coldly. If he wins the election, Trump threatened to build an analogue of the Great Wall of China on the border with Mexico. Trump has also advocated many times for the immediate elimination of ISIS armed forces.
Donald Trump Blames Democrats for Creating ISIS
Donald demanded the repeal of Barack Obama's health care program, saying it was too expensive for the government to provide and that he would have no problem finding better methods that would be cheaper for taxpayers.
In the economic sector, even Democrats listened to the billionaire; he argued for the need to return production to the United States by increasing duties on goods of American companies manufactured abroad, and also argued for the need for a trade war with China.
Donald Trump's scandalous video featuring Vladimir Putin
He outlined his point of view in more detail in the book “Mutilated America,” published in 2015.
According to Forbes magazine, in 2016, Donald Trump's fortune crossed the $4 billion mark. It continued to grow, including through real estate licensing - developers themselves paid Trump to build and sell new projects on his behalf.
In March 2016, Donald Trump was named the most likely Republican presidential candidate, predicting that he would face Hillary Clinton in the final round of elections.
In Russia, Trump's candidacy for the presidency was greeted warmly, as the billionaire more than once publicly promised to improve relations with the Kremlin.
The results of the election for the 45th US President were unpredictable. A month before the final day, both candidates received a good portion of “black PR”. Clinton was involved in a scandal involving the FBI, Trump was accused of sexual harassment. Clinton was confidently predicted to win, especially after the third and final debate. However, the results surprised everyone - Trump effortlessly beat his competitor, gaining 306 electoral votes out of the 270 required for victory, thereby securing a seat in the Oval Office of the White House. Michael Pence Donald Trump with his first wife Ivanka
Trump began dating his second wife, actress Marla Maples, back in 1989, and immediately after his divorce from Ivana, he proposed to her. She gave the billionaire a daughter, Tiffany. But the marriage did not last long - they divorced in 1999. Tiffany grew up with her mother in California, but her father also took part in her upbringing.
At the beginning of 2005, Donald married another fashion model from Eastern Europe - 34-year-old Melanie Knauss. Trump's third wife was originally from Slovenia, shone on the pages of glossy magazines, and did not hesitate to appear very candidly. The wedding of Trump and Melanie was included in the list of the most expensive wedding ceremonies with a budget of $45 million. In 2006, their common son, Barron William Trump, was born.
Donald Trump now
By the spring of 2019, Trump signed many decrees aimed at economic and foreign policy reforms: he expanded the territory for oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico and all oceans except the Indian; tightened measures to combat terrorist organizations; ordered a missile strike on Damascus in response to the Syrian president’s use of chemical weapons against the opposition; withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran, under the terms of which the “six” countries received partial control over Iran’s nuclear weapons.But within America itself, Trump’s repeatedly expressed intention to build a wall between the United States and Mexico to limit the influx of illegal immigrants into the country has caused particularly heated debate.
It was the wall on the border with its southern neighbor that caused the suspension of the US Government at the end of 2018. The Mexican Wall (or "Trump's Wall"), one of the main points of the president's election program, was valued at almost six billion dollars.
After winning the presidential elections, which took place on November 8, 2016, Donald Trump became the 45th president of America. His rival, the candidate from the Democratic Party, despite the total support from the world and American media, lost by a significant margin. Thus, Clinton received only 232 electoral votes, against Trump's 290 votes.
This created a real sensation in the world community. When the eccentric, incredibly temperamental and unlikeable businessman announced his intention to run for the presidency of the United States in 2015, no one took it seriously.
After all, Trump has never been involved in politics, devoting his entire life to business.
An interesting fact is that Donald himself, having announced his intention to run as a Republican, said the famous phrase: “I will be the greatest president God has ever created.” An ambitious statement!
The election results broke the pattern with such a bang that many prominent world politicians looked extremely confused, not knowing how to behave in this situation. After all, everyone was confident that Clinton would win!
However, you should wait until the newly elected president takes office. The event will take place on January 20, 2017, therefore, a lot can change during this period of time.
We bring to your attention the most interesting facts about Donald Trump.
Donald Trump in his youth
It is reliably known that at the age of 13, Donald Trump began having serious problems at school. It was all due to the unrestrained and incredibly expressive character of young Donald. In order to somehow solve these difficulties, his father decides to send him to a private boarding school, the New York Military Academy.
It was there that the true formation of the personality of the future president began. According to Trump himself, at the military academy his boundless energy was directed in the right direction. There he learned to survive among enormous competition.
His extraordinary organizational skills began to manifest themselves very early. At the military academy, he managed to establish his leadership among his comrades. Graduated from training with the rank of cadet captain S4.
New York Military Academy student Donald Trump in 1964 In 1968, Trump received a Bachelor of Science in economics, specializing in finance.
Donald Trump's father owned a real estate company. Actually, it was there that the young guy who later became the 45th President of the United States began his career.
Interesting fact: the surname “Trump” is translated from English as “Trump”. Donald was always very proud of such a trump surname, believing that it brought him good luck.
Thanks to his outstanding abilities, he turned it into an expensive brand. Various accessories, perfumes, vodka and much more are produced under this name.
How old is Donald Trump
As of 2016, Donald Trump is exactly 70 years old. He was born on June 14, 1946. By the way, this is also a very interesting fact. Trump became the oldest president in US history, being elected at the age of 70.
Before him, the record belonged to Ronald Reagan, who was elected head of state at the age of 69.
Facts from the biography of Donald Trump
Donald Trump's fortune, according to various estimates, ranges from 4 to 9 billion US dollars. During his career, he suffered complete bankruptcy several times. However, incredible perseverance and self-confidence helped him again rise to the level of the richest people on the planet.
One of the last crises of a businessman occurred in 1991. At that time, Trump's debts amounted to $9.8 billion. Taking a desperate step, he mortgaged his famous Trump Tower skyscraper in New York and received a good loan from financial institutions. Literally a few years later, he managed to pay off all creditors and again began to increase his capital.
An interesting fact from Trump's biography. One day, a businessman took out a bank loan in the amount of $500 million, securing the deal only in his own name. Probably, the creditors knew that even under the most unfavorable circumstances, the resourceful Trump would definitely find a way out of the situation and, sooner or later, return the money with a profit. In the end, they were right!
Often, American developers turned to Donald Trump with a request to sell their buildings, ensuring a successful transaction in his own name. For this reason, many buildings bearing his name are not owned by his companies.
Not everyone knows that Donald Trump is also a successful writer. He has written more than 15 books on business topics. Considering Trump’s biography, all books have sold millions of copies around the world. Every businessman studies the life of a billionaire with pleasure and undisguised interest in order to understand what principles allowed him to become so successful.
An interesting fact is that Trump took part in the filming of more than 100 films. Of course, all his roles are episodic, but this testifies to the versatility of Donald's personality.
Moreover, in 2004 he became the main presenter of his own television program “The Candidate”. Its winners, according to the terms of the reality show, were guaranteed to occupy a leadership position in the business of the Trump empire with a salary of $250 thousand.
The essence of the show was that all the applicants (candidates) became managers of Donald’s different companies for some period of time. Those who managed things poorly heard the phrase “You’re fired” from the host, after which they dropped out of the game. By the way, this phrase became so famous that the businessman wanted to patent it.
Donald Trump has always been known as a harsh critic. He once publicly stated that there is no evidence that the current president was born in the United States. As a result of a violent reaction from the American community, the White House was forced to publish Obama's birth certificate.
In 2014, when the Ebola virus became known, Barack Obama refused to ban entry into the United States of persons arriving from the infected zone. In this regard, Donald tweeted the following: “I'm starting to think that the president is not completely mentally healthy. Why didn't he ban flights? Psycho!" .
An interesting fact is that Trump’s hairstyle has become, in a way, the billionaire’s calling card. Throughout his career, he has repeatedly had to deny rumors that he wears a wig. He himself says that hair is his image.
Moreover, he considers his hair the most famous in all of America. It should be added that he washes them with inexpensive shampoos, but basically does not use a hairdryer.
By the billionaire’s own admission, he does not drink alcohol at all, and also ignores tea and. However, this does not stop him from being known for his sweet tooth.
It must be said that, being a rather gentle father, he raised his children extremely strictly in terms of their attitude towards alcohol and any drugs. None of his children use these things. Perhaps the reason for this radical attitude was the fact that Trump's younger brother died of alcoholism.
Tony Sinical, the businessman's butler, says that his master sleeps no more than 3-4 hours a day. Moreover, he gets up long before dawn. Associations involuntarily arise with others who devoted very little time to sleep, while maintaining tremendous performance.
Donald Trump's wives
At 31, Trump got married. His chosen one was the Czechoslovakian model Ivana Zelnicek. This happened in 1977. However, they divorced in 1992 after Ivana found out that her husband was cheating on her. During the divorce, she demanded $25 million.
A year later, in 1993, Trump married again, having previously concluded a detailed prenuptial agreement. Still, business thinking forced him to calculate all his risks. This time his wife was the American actress Marle Maples. They had a daughter, Tiffany, but divorced in 1999.
In February 2008, in one of his television programs, Donald Trump said the following about his wives: “I just know that it was very difficult for them (Ivana and Marla) to compete with what I love. I really love what I do" .
In 2005, fashion model Melania Knavs from Slovenia became Trump's third wife. She is 24 years younger than her husband. At the time of 2016, Melania Trump, in fact, had already become the first lady of the United States, since the elections ended in the victory of her husband.
Donald Trump and his wife Melania In total, Donald Trump has 5 children and 8 grandchildren.
By the way, the favorite hobby of the 45th President of the United States is golf. The billionaire regularly takes part in various competitions at his own venues.
Photo by Donald Trump
Here you can see photos of Donald Trump. Among them you will find very rare family chronicles and some others. Enjoy watching!
Trump with his wife Melania and son 
Release of emotions near wife 
Trump International Hotel Las Vegas 
Donald Trump with his parents 
Donald Trump with Ronald Reagan in 1987 
Trump family photo 
Trump with Fedor Emelianenko 
Melania Trump is the businessman's third wife 
Trump in Phoenix, August 2016 
Trump's personal jet with exclusive layout and interior design 
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Donald Trump is an American billionaire businessman, known in society for his frank communication style and extravagant lifestyle, which do not particularly spoil the image of a successful and purposeful person.
In 2015, the scandalous tycoon made a loud statement about his intention to become the best head of the United States and decided to run for the American presidential election in 2016 at his own expense, without involving sponsors and lobbyists. Trump was eventually elected president.
Childhood and youth
Donald John Trump was born on June 14, 1946 in the largest borough of New York, Queens, under the zodiac sign of Gemini. The boy appeared in the family of a millionaire. By nationality, Donald is American with German roots.
He was not the first child of his parents Fred and Mary - there were five children in the family, the most difficult of whom was Donald. Having inherited an assertive and tough character from his father, he caused trouble to his mother and father from childhood. At school, teachers considered Trump an obnoxious child, so the parents had no choice but to take their son out of public school and send him to a military academy in order to channel the boy’s unbridled energy in a positive direction.
Training at the New York Military Academy ultimately yielded results - Donald was taught discipline and learned to survive in a competitive environment where he had to be a little aggressive to achieve results. After the academy, Trump faced the question of higher education. At first he wanted to go to a film school, but settled on Fordham University, deciding to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a businessman.
In 1968, Donald Trump received a bachelor's degree in economics and went to work for his father's real estate company. From the first days, the future billionaire realized that he was in his element, so already in his youth, Donald Trump’s career biography began to be built in this direction.
Business
Being “infected” with the idea of building his own empire, Donald Trump, while still a student, began to take part in business projects under the patronage of his father, for whom he was a favorite. The first deal allowed the future construction magnate to earn $6 million without investments, which strengthened the guy’s faith in himself and a bright future.
Young businessman Donald Trump In 1974, Donald won the first tender and bought the Commodore Hotel for almost nothing under the obligation to reconstruct the building. This allowed Trump to “bargain” with the authorities for favorable tax conditions for the next 40 years of his activity. In 6 years, the aspiring businessman managed to build a luxurious Grand Hyatt hotel from an old hotel.
Donald Trump's second grandiose project was a 58-story skyscraper with an 80-foot waterfall called TrumpTower. It became the tallest and most luxurious building in New York. In a short period of time, office space in the building was sold out, and the business center became a symbol of luxury, bringing worldwide fame to the Trump brand.
The next step to Trump's wealth was Atlantic City, which Donald entrusted to his younger brother Robert to reconstruct. In 1982, the project was successfully completed and the $250 million Harra complex opened. After some time, Donald bought it and gave it the name Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino, which became the most expensive hotel-casino in the world.
In 1990, at the peak of its wealth, Trump's billion-dollar empire was on the verge of bankruptcy - the lack of management experience turned against the businessman, and he began to lose control of the business. Donald owed creditors $10 billion, of which he was obliged to pay $900 million out of his own pocket, as he had previously spent it on personal needs rather than on business development. But endurance, a cool mind and calculation allowed the businessman to improve his financial situation and overcome the crisis in 3 years.
Donald Trump overcame financial problems in 3 years By 1997, the tycoon managed to escape from the debt trap and cover the debt to creditors. He eagerly took on new projects, and literally 4 years later, Trump’s company completed the construction of the 262-meter Trump World Tower, which rose directly opposite the UN headquarters in Manhattan.
During the same period, the businessman continued to work on the construction of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago, which was completed only in 2009. This project had to survive the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the financial crisis of 2008. Then Trump was unable to pay creditors $40 million on time, which forced the man to suspend construction.
As a result, in 2009, not wanting to cover the debt from personal funds, the billionaire filed for bankruptcy and left the Board of Directors of his own company in order to prove to creditors that the crisis was a force majeure situation, in which they had no right to demand payment of the debt from him .
However, the businessman completed the construction of a skyscraper hotel in Chicago, which became the third tallest building in the United States and the tenth tallest building in the world.
Policy
In 2015, the American billionaire expressed his intention to run for the presidency of the United States and his readiness to take part in the presidential race in the 2016 elections. During the election campaign, the businessman positioned himself as a successful American, who does not separate big money from hard workers. At the same time, he paid for his participation in the presidential elections out of his own pocket, which made the man a step above other candidates who resort to the help of lobbyists and sponsors.
Trump made loud statements that he could become the best American president and make every person in the country rich. At the same time, Trump pays special attention to Russia - according to him, he will be able to improve relations with the Russian leader, since the confrontation between the United States and the Russian Federation is based solely on the mutual hostility of the leaders of these two countries.
At the same time, US presidential candidate Donald Trump, known for his extravagant actions and scandalous statements, considered himself the leader in the presidential race, calling his rivals “incompetent idiots.” The businessman was confident that society would support him in the elections and he would defeat his main rival in the fight for the presidency of the country.
The election campaign of Donald Trump, who has gained fame in society as an eccentric “truth-teller,” is full of continuous scandalous statements that cause outrage among the current American government and the second favorite in the presidential race, Hillary Clinton.
Back in November 2015, he came out in support of Russia’s special operation in Syria. Then Trump said that “if Putin wants to gouge ISIS, he will 100% do it.” Against the backdrop of this position, today he expresses bewilderment why the West accuses the Russian side of “crimes” on Syrian territory.
Donald Trump also became famous for his categorical anti-Muslim position. He sharply opposed immigrants from Mexico and the Middle East, promising to build a “Great Wall of China” between Mexican territory and the United States if they won. If the billionaire won the 2016 US presidential election, he was ready to change legislation that would prohibit children of illegal migrants born in the US from receiving American citizenship.
Regarding US domestic policy, Trump adhered to his own position, which ran counter to the current one. He opposed the launched medical program, since it was very expensive for the country. In return, the US presidential candidate promised to come up with cheaper and more effective methods for taxpayers, allowing the population to use medical services on loyal terms.
To develop the country's economy, Trump proposed returning American production bases to the States and increasing duties on goods produced by US companies abroad. The businessman-politician is calling for a trade war with China, a victory in which will allow America to take a worthy position on trading platforms in the world.
Donald Trump outlined the main theses of his election campaign and plans for reviving the country if he wins the US presidential election in the book “Mutilated America,” which he published in 2015.
On November 8, 2016, general elections were held in the United States. The election results stunned the whole world - Donald Trump won the race for the presidency, despite numerous forecasts about the fiasco of the businessman. The politician received an absolute majority of the popular vote (276 electoral votes, 270 is enough to win). Hillary Clinton finished second in the presidential race (218 electoral votes).
Hillary did not speak to the headquarters, but found the strength to call her opponent and admit defeat. In response to this traditional American gesture, Trump acknowledged the strength of his rival and wished her all the best.
The US Congress legally approved the results of the vote on January 6, 2017, and the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, began his direct duties on January 20.
Personal life
Donald Trump's personal life is not as cloudless as his career. He was married three times, has five children and eight grandchildren. The billionaire's first marriage took place in 1977 - his wife was the Czechoslovakian model Ivana Zelnichkova, who gave birth to three children to the construction magnate. This did not save the couple’s relationship, and in 1992 the family broke up.
In the late 1980s, Trump met actress Marla Ann Maples. During the same period, a romance broke out between them. However, at that time Trump was officially married to Ivana, and Maples was just beginning to build a stellar career. Therefore, the newly-minted couple did not appear in public together. The businessman and the actress went to the same events, but they always arrived and left in different cars.
A romantic union was discovered when Donald separated from his wife. The wife had no idea about Trump’s mistress, and shortly before the breakup, the tycoon signed an updated marriage contract with the woman. As a result, Ivana was paid only $10 million instead of $26 million. This became the reason for a long legal battle.
Decades later, Marla publicly asked Trump's first wife for forgiveness. But Ivana did not accept Maples' apology, saying that she destroyed the family.
In 1992, Donald and Marla celebrated their wedding. The common baby was born to the lovers a year later. But this did not make the family strong, and after 6 years of marriage the couple divorced. Since then, the second daughter of the US President has been called “forgotten.” Donald did not take part in raising Tiffany; they saw each other once or twice a year. At the same time, Trump fully provided for the girl financially.
In 2005, Trump married a fashion model who is 24 years younger than the politician. The billionaire called his third wife the love of his life, who filled Donald’s inner world with happiness and peace. Melania's wedding gift was a 13-carat diamond ring worth $1.5 million, which he received as an advance from the jewelry company Graff.
A year after the wedding, the newlyweds had a son, who became the fifth child of the billionaire. In 2016, the US presidential candidate became a grandfather for the eighth time - his daughter gave birth to a third child, whom she named Theodore James.
In 2017, information appeared in the media that a year after marrying his third wife, the billionaire had an intimate relationship with porn actress Stephanie Clifford. The “Strawberry” star herself spoke about this in an interview. According to the artist, she met the future president back in 2006 at a golf tournament. After drinking a glass with the seductive beauty, Donald invited her to his room. Clifford did not refuse.
In the conversation, Stephanie assured that after that, Trump called the girl every 10 days. The couple dated periodically throughout the year. The man promised the actress filming in films and TV shows. This continued until 2007. And then the businessman said that he could not help Clifford with her career, after which the porn star’s interest in Donald faded. At the same time, the future leader of the United States continued to periodically invite the girl to meetings. To confirm her words, Stephanie even took a lie detector test.
This event, which took place many years ago, became public after the billionaire’s lawyer offered the actress $130 thousand for silence in the period before the elections. Donald Trump himself denies any connection with the porn actress. And later a statement signed by Stephanie appeared on the Internet, which said:
“If I were really in a relationship with Donald Trump, believe me, you wouldn’t be reading about it in the news, you’d be reading about it in my book.”
Donald Trump's election campaign was not without scandals in his personal life. The press has seen candid photos of his wife Melania Trump, who posed nude for the cover of Max magazine in 1998. The billionaire calmly reacted to these pictures and said that at one time his wife was a successful model, and the “naked” photos were taken before they met him.
11th of November. On November 9, it became known that he had won the US presidential election. The 70-year-old billionaire has been on Forbes' list of the world's richest people for more than 30 years. According to Donald Trump himself, his fortune exceeds $10 billion. However, experts do not believe these figures. Political Class correspondents decided to compare the figures cited by different publications, as well as the financial declaration of the elected president, in order to figure out how much money he has and what his fortune consists of.
The media differ in their assessment of Trump's condition. So, according to Fortune magazine, it is $3.9 billion, according to Forbes - $3.7 billion, according to Bloomberg - $3 billion. Even the billionaire’s latest financial declaration, published in May 2016, cannot give the exact amount of Donald Trump’s wealth. The document indicates ranges for the cost of the active part and profit. If we analyze the lower limit, then Trump’s net worth is at least $1.5 billion.
What does Donald Trump's income consist of?
According to The New York Times' analysis of Trump's declaration, his net worth includes:
- Profit from business (real estate rental, hotels and golf courses) – at least $615 million.
- Profit from owning the Miss Universe brand is at least $49 million.
- Copyright royalties for the use of the name and book – minimum $10.2 million.
Tycoon assets
- Real estate – at least $1.337 billion (according to independent estimates, Trump’s top 10 most expensive real estate properties give about $2.5 billion).
- Shares – minimum $61 million.
- Aircraft – minimum $58 million.
- Vineyards – at least $6 million.
Trump's most expensive property
Real estate in New York took the first place.
First up is the business center. 1290 AvenueoftheAmericas, located at 1290 Avenue of the Americas, the building height is 174 meters. Trump owns 30% of the commercial space. According to Forbes, the value of this Trump property is $409 million.
Second place - land under the storeNiketown, located in New York next to Trump Tower. According to Forbes estimates - $390 million.
Third place - building TrumpTower, located in New York. The height of the building is 202 meters. This is Trump's first major project. The billionaire owns most of the building and the land underneath it. According to Forbes estimates - $371 million.
Fourth place - house number 40 onWallStreet. A house located on Wall Street (New York), known as the Trump Building. Trump owns the land under the skyscraper, which is 255 meters high. Forbes estimates $345 million.
Fifth place - office center in San Francisco, located at 555 California Street (California). The building is considered the second tallest in San Francisco. The height of the building is 237 meters. Trump owns 30% of the building. Forbes estimates $317 million.
Sixth place - HouseTrumpParkAvenue in NYC. The height of the building is 107 meters. The building contains the most expensive apartments for rent in the city. The skyscraper is entirely owned by Trump. Forbes estimates $177 million.
Seventh place on Trump's list of most expensive real estate - golf ClubTrumpNationalDoralMiami, located in Miami (Florida). Forbes estimates $169 million.
Takes eighth place private clubMar-a-Lago, located in Palm Beach (Florida). Forbes estimates $150 million.
Ninth place - hotelTrumpChicago, located in Chicago, Illinois. The building is the second tallest in the city. The height of the building is 423 meters. According to Forbes estimates - $119 million (total construction cost - $847 million).
Tenth place TrumpInternationalHotelWashington, located in Washington, DC. The hotel is located near the White House. Donald Trump owns the hotel land. Forbes estimates $104 million.
Illustration copyright Reuters
Billionaire Donald Trump, who is seeking the right to represent the Republican Party in the US presidential election, loves to talk about his wealth.
“I am very rich,” he told his supporters. “I have always been able to make money.”
Trump estimates his wealth at more than $10 billion, although this estimate is disputed by experts. It's actually not clear how much money he actually has.
Organizations that examined his finances came to different conclusions.
Forbes magazine estimates his wealth at $4.5 billion, Wealth-X estimates it at $4.4 billion, and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates that Trump has “only” $2.9 billion.
Trump rejects all these assessments, saying he is "worth much more."
The main reason for such significant discrepancies is that most of his companies are private, they are not open joint-stock companies.
Father's inheritance
Last October, Trump told voters that his father had left him a “small allowance” of $1 million to start his own business.
But Donald Trump received from his father not only money, but also business style.
When Fred Trump began trading real estate in the New York boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, his business was also valued at a million dollars.
Trump Sr. was known for building fairly high quality homes, but he squeezed every penny out of his business.
Illustration copyright Reuters Image caption Trump bought New York's Plaza Hotel in 1988, and the hotel filed for bankruptcy four years later.He typically saved money on government-funded construction projects, didn't budget entirely, and pocketed the rest. This is not illegal in the performance of a contract, however, he was called to explain this matter to Congress.
"Fred Trump took every opportunity to save on taxes, and David was there, learning from his father," says Gwenda Blair, author of The Trumps.
Donald Trump says the move from building affordable housing on the outskirts of New York to building luxury towers in Manhattan was his idea, but Gwenda Blair says his father was most likely behind the decision.
"Donald Trump relied on his father's resources. He needed his father's signature on loan agreements, he used his father's connections in banking and in the world of politics," she says.
Real estate
Trump's first major project was the Commodore Hotel, which he bought in 1976 in partnership with the Hyatt Organization. The cost of this purchase was not disclosed.
At that time, many buildings in Manhattan were facing closure. Commodore owed one and a half million dollars, and New York in those years was not considered as attractive a place for wealthy tourists as it is now. This investment was very risky for the young developer.
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption Trump Tower remains the most valuable piece of real estate in the billionaire's empireUsing his extraordinary negotiator skills, which he brazenly talks about in campaign speeches, Trump secured a 40-year hotel tax break from New York City officials. This allowed him to save $160 million. In 1996, he sold his half of the hotel for $142 million.
Trump continued to invest in New York real estate, including the Plaza Hotel and the former Bank of Manhattan building.
Trump's most valuable property remains the 58-story Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, built in 1983. It is still the headquarters of his company, the Trump Organization. He and his family live on the upper floors of this skyscraper.
Barbara Res, who led the construction of Trump Tower, recalls in an article published in the New York Daily News how simple and approachable Donald Trump was then.
However, over time, she said, it became increasingly necessary to “groom him, cherish him and agree with him.”
Brand creation
The then-young businessman appeared regularly on television and was active during the 1988 Republican primaries.
In the 1980s, the Trump Organization began trading licenses to use the Trump name, and his fame only increased from this.
Many companies now pay Trump for licenses to use his name, even though the Trump Organization does not own them. Such companies include Trump Ocean Club and Trump Fine Foods.
Trump became even more famous in 1987 when he published The Art of the Deal.
Donald Trump established his reputation as a straightforward but effective negotiator through his appearance on the popular TV show The Apprentice, where his blunt remarks and graphic, often on-the-spot, decisions to fire a challenger won him hordes of fans.
Business style
Just like his father, Donald Trump has a reputation for saving every penny.
He considers it a very clever move to refuse payments under the contract if he can find fault with the quality of the work. This forces the other party to renegotiate the terms of the contract. Trump told Reuters he renegotiates contract terms 10% to 15% of the time.
“I fight to the last to pay as little as possible,” he says.
Illustration copyright AFP Image caption The bankruptcy of the Taj Mahal casino was a sensitive blow to Donald Trump's businessTrump's style has led to several high-profile lawsuits. He is still facing lawsuits related to Trump University, including his former employee and pension funds.
Trump himself also does not shy away from lawsuits as a tool for conducting business. He was suing one of the Miss USA contestants over her criticism of the show he owned. He was suing Deutsche Bank for refusing to give him an additional loan for a construction project in Chicago.
Despite all these trials, Trump is often praised for his business sense.
British TV presenter Piers Morgan, who works in the United States, called Trump a “smart guy.”
"I think from a business standpoint he has a pretty good business and he usually puts very capable people in charge of it," Morgan says.
Investor Carl Icahn, who Trump believes would be a good Treasury secretary, said the Republican leader in the race is a very open person.
"He has a high ego, he's a cocky guy, but he's willing to listen," Icahn says.
Carl Icahn took over Trump Entertainment in 2009 when the company filed for bankruptcy, forcing Trump to abandon all of his investments in Atlantic City casinos.
Corporate law
Donald Trump has successfully used corporate law for his own purposes more than once.
"I've used the law four times and had great results," he says.
In the 1990s, Trump and his companies ran up $3.5 billion in debt. His organization has forced creditors to write off debt on four occasions in the past 30 years.
Often in difficult situations, his biggest concession was the renunciation of part of the rights to real estate, despite the fact that the buildings themselves retained his name. This way his brand was preserved.
The only time Trump himself came under attack was the 1991 bankruptcy of the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City.
Of the casino's nearly $3 billion in debt, he was personally responsible for $900 million. Therefore, he was then forced to give away half of his share in this business, as well as sell the airline and yacht.
Foreign ownership
Donald Trump's affairs outside the United States are as controversial as his campaign statements.
Illustration copyright PA Image caption Trump says he loves Scotland, where his mother was born.He called the Chinese crooks, but he invited Chinese investors to help finance his project in western New York, on the site of a railroad depot. Trump and his investors eventually sold the land for $1.8 billion.
Trump says he loves Scotland, where his mother was born and where he owns several golf courses. But he criticized the Scottish Government and British courts for allowing windmills to be built near his Aberdeenshire golf course.
The Baja Mexico resort on the Atlantic Coast, which Trump owns, was forced to deal with investors who filed a lawsuit. They paid millions of dollars for condominiums and apartments that were never built.
When the resort scandal broke, Trump said the developers were using his name and that he was not responsible for the resort, despite appearing in its advertisements.
Trump was also criticized for allowing a clothing company under his name to import goods into the United States from Mexico when he himself led a campaign against imports into the United States.
Success
One of the reasons for the Trump Organization's success was that Trump was willing to lend his name to any project, product, or product, from buildings to steaks and ties.
Forbes magazine gave Trump a 5 out of 10 on its scale of how much wealth a businessman has built on his own. This means that Trump "inherited a small or medium-sized business and turned it into a ten-figure fortune."