"The Donald". His name conjures up visions of the 1980s, greed, huge deals, and pompous billionaires. Recognized by 98% of the American public, Donald Trump's penchant for putting his name on everything he owns, and for owning some very impressive things, has made him the envy of millions. His willingness to put aside the little people in pursuit of his goals has made him hated by many. And his ability to come brazenly back from a crushing bankruptcy is cause to admire his resiliance.
Trump was born in New York City on June 14, 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump, the fourth of five children.
After military school he attended the Wharton School of Business. Upon graduation, Donald came back to New York to make (and lose, and make again) his fortune in real estate. His signature deals were large, very expensive, heavily leveraged projects with his name emblazoned all over. Trump Tower is probably the best example of this. This was a sharp contrast from his father Fred, who made his fortune in fairly pedestrian apartment buildings.
He's been married (and divorced) twice, first to Ivana Trump, and then to Marla Maples. The marriage to Ivana produced Donald Jr, Ivanka, and Eric. His fourth child, Tiffany, was born in 1993 during his marriage to Maples.
Still leading a very flamboyant and public life, Trump can usually be found hanging in NYC with a supermodel on one arm and a bad comb-over.
Quotes:
"I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big."
"A little more moderation would be good. Of course, my life hasn't exactly been one of moderation."
"A friend called me up the other day and talked about investing in a dot-com that sells lobsters. Internet lobsters. Where will this end? The next day he sent me a huge package of lobsters on ice. How low can you stoop?"
"What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate."
Books:
- Trump: The Art of the Deal
- Trump: The Art of Survival
- Trump: Surviving at the Top
- Trump: The Art of the Comeback
- The America We Deserve