Business

Donald Trump

Entered his father's real-estate business; later shifted to licensing the family name.

Born: 1946 · Queens, New York, US
Roots: German and Scottish descent
Family: Wealthy; Father Fred Trump ran a large Brooklyn–Queens real-estate business.
Education: Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Started with: $60.7M+; NYT investigation: at least $60.7M in loans from his father — ~$413M lifetime, adjusted.
Affiliations & societies: FreemasonryRumor — unverified; A recurring online claim; no lodge records or credible reporting support it.; Information only — claims like these are often unverifiable and may be wrong.

The pathway

1968 · age 22
Joins the family firm$60.7M loans
Begins working at his father's company, supported by family loans and loan guarantees.
1978 · age 32
Grand Hyatt deal
First Manhattan project, financed with his father's loan guarantees and a tax abatement.
1983 · age 37
Trump Tower opens
1991 · age 45
Casino bankruptcies
The Taj Mahal and other properties enter bankruptcy under debt he had personally guaranteed.
2004 · age 58
The Apprentice
Hosts the NBC show; name licensing becomes a major revenue source.
2016 · age 70
Elected 45th US President
2024 · age 78
Elected 47th US President

Sources

Compiled from these references and contemporaneous press reporting. Figures are approximate; verify before relying on them.