Connect with us

International

5 things you should know about Donald Trump

Published

on

5 things you should know about Donald Trump

Newly elected US President Donald Trump defied all the odds to emerge the 45th leader of the United States of America in a race which attracted the widest and most diverse field of major candidates in the history of the country.

Trump, or “The Donald” as he often styles himself, has high national name recognition as a billionaire real estate developer and TV celebrity.

He is known for his signature properties — Trump Plaza, 40 Wall Street in Manhattan; golf resorts in Florida; and casinos in Atlantic City — and for his successful run as a reality TV star on The Apprentice and The Celebrity Apprentice.

Listed below is a list of five things you should know about the Trump who had circled the political arena in previous cycles without really getting in until now.

1. His father is in fact, a billionaire
His father in fact started the Trump empire, which Donald inherited. Although his actual net worth has been a matter of dispute, particularly after business reversals in the early 1990s, Trump has survived a now-distant flirtation with bankruptcy and is estimated to be worth $4.1 billion by Forbes magazine. Forbes ranks him 133rd richest among American billionaires (388th among global billionaires). However, Forbes gives him just a 5 on the “self-made” scale of 1-10, where 1 connotes entirely inherited wealth and 10 an extreme case of rags to riches.
On Tuesday, after his political rally, Trump is expected to release a summary of assets that total $9 billion, the Washington Post reports. That number would include valuations on his real estate.

2. He has won a presidential primary in a major state
In 2000, Trump was among five candidates listed on the Reform Party primary ballot in California. He had filed papers the previous autumn to become a member of that party and one of its presidential candidates. Although he had withdrawn from the race months earlier and did not campaign for the primary in California, he received 15,311 votes in the June event, 44 per cent of the total.

3. He has been a reality TV star
His NBC TV show The Apprentice featured Trump schooling ambitious young people and was a hit practically from its introduction in 2004. It was later reborn as The Celebrity Apprentice. Trump has also been a frequent guest on TV talk shows, including The Late Show with David Letterman. Between 1993 and 2015 he appeared on “Dave” 21 times, the same as comedian Jon Stewart. He has also been a staple in TV ads for various products.

4. His big breakthrough in business came when he was just 34
He obtained an option to buy the old Commodore Hotel near Manhattan’s Grand Central Station. Trump and various partners redesigned that grand dame as a glass showplace that became the Grand Hyatt, a major hit after extensive restoration of Grand Central itself. He later bought and renovated the iconic Plaza Hotel at the southeast corner of Central Park and the Barbizon at the southwest corner.

5. He has been married three times and has five children
The three children from his first marriage — Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric — are now in their 30s and involved in the Trump Organization businesses. Their parents, Donald Sr. and Ivana, were married from 1977 to 1991 but appeared in Pizza Hut ads together after their separation — joking about how they would split up the pie.

6. He’s a provocateur
Trump clearly enjoys flouting political correctness, and his supporters encourage it, even if he offends his fellow Republicans in the process. Here are some of those moments from just the first two months of his campaign.
On immigration, during his announcement speech: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us.

7. He owns more than just buildings
Trump is the only presidential candidate – at least at the moment – who has his own board game: Trump the Game, which is based on his reality show, “The Apprentice.” Players invest in real estate, try to win the most cash, and bankrupt the other players.
Reviews are mixed. One Amazon reviewer wrote, “Not really that fun. Twister is a much better game. Most people will probably be bored of this game after a little bit. I would not recommend to someone looking to use for a party. Play Trivial Pursuit instead.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now