Donald Trump Biography
Donald J. Trump is the 45th President of the United States, after winning the 2016 Presidential Election. He was inaugurated on January 20th, 2017, in accordance with the 20th amendment to the United States Constitution.
Early Life
Donald John Trump was born in 1946 in Queens, New York. Born on June 14th, the weather in Queens was sure to be sweltering. Trump grew up in the Queens borough with his father Fred, mother Mary Anne, and older siblings Maryanne, Elizabeth, and Fred Jr., and a younger brother named Robert.
Donald Trump’s father, Fred, was born in 1905. By 1920, he had begun a home-building business with his mother, Donald Trump’s grandmother, Elizabeth. Donald Trump’s mother, Mary Anne, was born in 1912 in Scotland. Fred and Mary Anne were married in 1936.
The Trump family lived in the Jamaica Estates neighborhood, which is where Donald Trump and his siblings grew up. They attended the private Kew-Forest School as children. Later, as a teenager, Donald Trump was enrolled at a boarding school called New York Military Academy.
While in college, Donald Trump studied economics. He first studied at Fordham University and then earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He graduated with that degree in 1968.
Personal Life
Donald Trump is currently married to the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump. Melania and Donald Trump were married in 2005. Melania Trump was born in 1970. Together, Donald and Melania Trump have one son, Barron William Trump, who was born in 2006.
Before marrying Melania Trump, Donald Trump had two earlier marriages and four earlier children. In 1977, Donald Trump married Ivana Trump. Together they had three children named Eric, Donald Jr., and Ivanka. In 1993, Donald Trump married Marla Maples, and together they had one daughter named Tiffany. Donald Trump currently has nine grandchildren.
Donald Trump has long been listed on the Forbes list of most wealthy people, first appearing in 1982.
Career
After graduating with an economics degree from the Wharton School in 1968, Donald Trump joined the company originally founded by his grandfather and great-grandmother in 1920. The company, Elizabeth Trump & Son, was renamed to The Trump Organization in 1971 when Donald Trump was appointed as President of the company.
The Trump family business was focused on real estate development. In New York, they had built, bought, and managed many buildings, primarily residential properties. Over the years, they also became involved occasionally in real estate in other states, such as Ohio, New Jersey, and Florida.
Donald Trump has written 19 books, beginning with Art of the Deal in 1987. For each of these books, he worked with a ghostwriter to complete the book. Some of his books have made it to the New York Times Bestseller list.
In the 1980s, the Trump business expanded to hotel operation, beginning in Manhattan, New York. Also at this time, the Trump business purchased the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. After expanding to hotels, Donald Trump moved the grew the business to include casinos.
For two years in the 1980s, Donald Trump owned the New Jersey Generals football team.
In 1995, Donald Trump founded an additional company, Trump Hotels & Casinos Resorts. This new Trump business took over operations of much of the hotel and casino businesses.
Between 1996 and 2015, Donald Trump partially owned the Miss Universe pageants. In fact, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 for his involvement in the pageants.
At the end of the 1990s, Donald Trump began purchasing and operating golf courses. The Trump Organization oversees almost 20 golf courses across the world.
In 2005, Donald Trump opened Trump University, which offered real estate courses for students. It operated until around 2010.
Donald Trump became the producer and host of NBC’s The Apprentice in 2003. The Apprentice and the spin-off The Celebrity Apprentice aired for several years, until 2017.
Political Party Affiliation
Donald Trump is serving as the 45th President of the United States and was elected as a Republican.
He first registered to vote in 1987 as a Republican. In 1999, he changed his party affiliation to Independent. In 2001, he registered as a Democrat. Then in 2009, he returned to his original Republican affiliation and has remained a Republican since then.
Political Career
In 2000, Donald Trump explored the possibility of running for the office of President as a candidate for the Reform Party. He said he was considering a Presidential run in 2012 as well, but decided to support Mitt Romney instead.
Donald Trump ran for the Republican nomination for the office of President, and won the primary nomination. In total, there were 17 candidates seeking the Republican nomination.
As the Republican nominee, Donald Trump sought to win the 2016 Presidential election against Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton. There were also third-party candidates vying for the seat. Donald Trump had not held elected office prior to seeking election to the presidency.
On November 8, 2016, Donald Trump secured a victory against Hillary Clinton and garnered the required number of Electoral College votes. Donald Trump did not win the popular vote, making him the fifth President in United States history to reach the office of President without so doing. He is also the oldest US President in history.
Presidential Aspirations and Candidacy
Donald Trump had considered a presidential run several times over the years. When he sought the Republican nomination for President in 2016 amid a crowded field of competitors, many commentators thought his chances of securing the nomination were low. After winning the Republican primary and defeating the other 16 candidates, the Presidential election became hotly contested. Many called his ultimate Presidential victory surprising, citing exit poll results.
Donald Trump has publicly stated that he will seek a second term in the office of the President and will run for re-election in 2020. United States Presidents are limited to two terms, so if successful in his re-election bid, it would be his final term in office.
Top issues of importance to Donald Trump have been the economy and national security.
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