Donald Trump – he is either a very loved and admired figure, or one that draws great ire. He is the 45th president of the United States; he’s been a businessman and a celebrity. When he decided to run in 2016, very few took Trump seriously. Most pundits believed he’d never make it past the primaries.
However, true to form, Trump surprised many Americans. He gained a large following, but, at the same time, he also amassed a number of critics.
| Celebrated Name: | Donald Trump |
| Real Name/Full Name: | Donald John Trump |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 75 |
| Birthdate: | June 14, 1946 |
| Birthplace: | Queens, New York |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 6 ft. 3 in. |
| Weight: | 243 lb. |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse | Melania (nee’ Knauss) |
| Children/Kids: | Four Children: three sons, one daughter; Donald Jr., Eric, Ivanka, Baron |
| Dating/Girlfriend Name: | N/A |
| Is Donald Trump Gay? | No |
| Highest Political Office: | President of the United States |
| Profession: | Businessman/Celebrity/Politician |
| Colleges Attended: | Fordham University, University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School) |
| Degrees: | Bachelor’s in Business |
| Salary: | $400,000 per year (likely all donated back) |
| Net Worth in 2021: | $4.0 billion |
Biography: Early Life & Family
Donald John Trump was born on June 14, 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump. Fred was a real estate developer in New York. Mary was a Scottish immigrant. Donald was born in Queens. He was the second youngest child of the couple, who would ultimately have five children. As a child, he attended private school in Queens. When he was in the eighth grade, he enrolled in the New York Military Academy. He attended Fordham University in New York City for two years. He completed his education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance and Commerce. He received an undergraduate degree there in 1968. He was never drafted for military service although the Vietnam War was raging at the time. He received four student deferments as well as a medical deferment; as a result, he was never subject to the draft.
Personal Life
Donald Trump has been married three times, all to ladies who enjoyed the spotlight as much as he. In 1977, he married a Czech model, Ivana Zelnickova. He would go on to have three children with Ivana: Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka. Donald and Ivana famously divorced in 1992 after an alleged affair with actress Marla Maples. In 1993, Trump married Marla. Together, they have one child, Tiffany. Trump’s marriage to Marla ended in 1999. In 2005, Trump wed a final time to Melania Knauss. She was a Slovenian model and also an immigrant to the United States. The pair have one son, Baron, who was born in 2006. Donald is currently married to Melania.
Age, Height, and Weight
Today, Donald Trump is 75 years old. He made history as he seemed to have unbounded energy while in the White House. He was rumored to sleep very little, rising early to watch “Fox and Friends,” and heading to bed typically after midnight each night. He is 6 foot three inches in height, and he weighs 243 pounds. (It should be noted that after he contracted the Coronavirus in 2020, he appeared to lose weight. He may be somewhat less than this weight at present.)
Net Worth
As of November 2021, Donald John Trump has an estimated net worth of $4 billion. He earned much of this as a real estate developer after taking over his father’s business, but he also earned a great deal of revenue from his television shows. His annual salary for “The Celebrity Apprentice” was $60 million.
Career Outside of Politics
Early Career
Fred Trump ran E. Trump and Son, and, upon his graduation from the Wharton School, Donald joined his father’s business. Fred and Donald developed apartments for New York’s middle class outer boroughs. In 1974, Donald became the president of E. Trump and Son, and he would move into construction as his major interest. Donald invested in and established construction jobs in Manhattan. He is responsible for the construction of the Grand Hyatt New York hotel as well as Trump Tower. Trump Tower, a luxury high rise, opened in 1983.
Before Trump became the 45th president, he was a real estate developer and a media personality.
Trump’s Heyday
The 80s was a prosperous time for Donald Trump. He opened several hotel and casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He acquired the historic Plaza Hotel in New York City, and he bought the Mar-a-lago Estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump turned Mar-a-lago into a private club after he completed renovations to the property.
He wrote books, owned a professional sports team, and even an airline during the 1980s. He drew a great deal of attention in 1987 with The Art of the Deal. The book became a best-seller. Trump began to enjoy celebrity status and at that time saw him as a shrewd businessman. Trump appeared on many national talk shows and news segments, including the Oprah Winfrey show.
At that time, Donald Trump was said to be work $1.5 billion. In 1989, Trump made his first appearance on the cover of Time magazine.
The Economic Slump of the 1990s
The 1990s were not as favorable for Trump’s business dealings. An economic downturn as well as a slump in the real estate market saw Trump mired deeply in debt. At that time, several of his Atlantic City casinos filed for bankruptcy. In 1995, Trump reported a loss of nearly $1 billion.
Always a businessman, Trump found ways to come back financially. He initiated a business model that would involve licensing his name to multiple ventures including condos, steaks and neckties. He was still working diligently in real estate, buying properties and developing real estate. In 2016, the Trump organization would own office buildings, hotels, and golf courses worldwide.
He was the first billionaire elected to the office of United States President.
Trump’s Reemergence on the Business Stage
Part of Trump’s return to financial solvency was to utilize his celebrity status found in the late 80s. He started hosting “The Apprentice” television show, where he famously assigned tasks at his companies to contestants. Those who failed to meet the mark were told “You’re Fired.” His show drew big ratings. At that time, he earned $1 million per episode. A “Celebrity Apprentice” show was a successful spin-off of the original show.
Trump made other cameo appearances on television and in movies. Notably, he encountered a wily Kevin in Home Alone: Lost in New York in one of the lobbies of the Plaza Hotel. He also owned several beauty pageants, including Miss Universe and Miss USA. He founded a modeling agency in 1999, which is a part of the Trump empire today.
Awards, Accolades, and Achievements
Trump has won several awards over the years. He was Time magazine’s “Man of the Year” in 2016. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has been awarded several honorary law degrees as well.
Career In Politics
Trump as President
Rumors abound as to exactly why Trump decided to run for president. Whatever propelled him to make this choice, Trump ran as a representative of the common man. In fact, most of his base was the common, everyday American. Trump became a wildly popular candidate whose brash personality actually attracted a supporter who loved America and wanted to see the country prosper.
When Trump decided to run for the presidency in 2016, he was largely mocked by the media and seasoned politicians. No one believed Trump would garner the support he did at that time. Trump became a representative of the working man, the common, everyday American who merely wants to work hard and enjoy freedom. Trump’s rallies often overflowed outside of the places they were held, even when the career politicians failed to take him seriously.
During the 2016 primary season Trump defeated more than a dozen politicians with great experience, including Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush, to win the Republican nomination. He went on to win the election over former Secretary of State and former first lady Hillary Clinton. His campaign slogan was “Make America Great Again,” and he moved swiftly to introduce something from the 80s – “Buy American and Hire American” policies.
He signed a major tax reform bill into law and compelled the reduction of federal regulations intended to create and sustain a long-running economic expansion and a historically low unemployment rate. Trump’s trade policies encouraged tariffs on foreign aluminum and steel and a series of renegotiations of trade agreements with Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, and South Korea.
Other priorities of the Trump Administration included Supreme Court and federal judiciary appointments, combatting the opioid crisis, and reducing the cost of prescription drugs, as well as improving health care for veterans. Trump’s commitment to “America first” shaped not only his trade and tariff policies but his approach to immigration and overseas commitments. Under Trump, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states increased their contributions to the alliance. Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and moved the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing the ancient city as Israel’s capital.
His approach to the issue of nuclear proliferation included applying maximum economic pressure on both North Korea and Iran. Trump increased the budget for the U.S. military, and during his administration the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS), which had taken territory in Iraq and Syria and was responsible for inciting terrorist attacks, was defeated.
Trump After the 2020 Election
Trump continues to hold rallies across the United States, even though he lost the presidential bid to Joe Biden in 2020. He has a following that is immensely dedicated to him and his cause. There are those who believe Trump will run again in 2024; however, Trump has only “teased” to audiences that he may do so.
Trump has called for forensic audits of all fifty states, and he is still quite vocal when it comes to the current administration’s policies. A friend and supporter, Mike Liddell of MyPillow fame, is leading the charge for audits. In fact, Lidell has paid for many himself.
Donald Trump’s Legacy
Trump’s legacy was somewhat marred by the January 6 riots in Washington. Many have accused Trump of spurring the crowd to go over to the Capitol Building and attack the members of Congress, who would be certified the votes that day. At this time, there is pending litigation for many alleged to be involved in the melee’.
Trump still maintains a large group of supporters. He is currently working on releasing Truth – an app that will give Trump a public platform. Trump left the United States with one of the most successful economies in nearly three decades. He had brought the United States back to the position of a global superpower. Even North Korea’s Kim Jung Un respected Trump as did China’s Xi Jinping. Trump made economic policies that put America first, in particular with countries such as China and Russia.
Trump has been banned from most social media platforms as of the end of his term in office. However, he is currently in the midst of setting up a Truth app, slated to come out in April of 2022. His supporters look forward to the platform and Trump’s “truth” in media once more.
