Donald Trump

From ArticleWorld

Donald Trump is an American business executive and founder and CEO of Trump Organization. His success has made him a billionaire. His personality has made him a cultural icon.

Personal biography

Donald John Trump was born on June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York. Noting their son’s strong will, his parents sent him to the New York Military Academy at age 13. He graduated in 1964 and halfheartedly entered college at Fordham University. After two years, he transferred to the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. Trump graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1968.

Trump married Ivana Zeinickova in 1977. She gave him the nickname “The Donald.” The two had three children, Donald Jr. in 1977, Ivanka in 1981, and Erica in 1984, before going through a costly divorce in 1992.

Trump then married Marla Maples in 1993 and had daughter Tiffany later that year. They divorced in 1999.

In 2005, Trump married a third time to Melania Knauss. They couple are expecting their first child in 2006.

Professional biography

Upon his graduation from the Wharton School, Trump returned to New York to work for his father’s real estate company. The company focused on middle-income rental buildings around the city. In 1971, Trump moved to Manhattan, now home to the Trump Organization, Trump World Tower, Trump Place Apartments, and the Trump International Hotel and Tower.

During the 1990s, Trump’s personal debt amounted to $900 million and his business debt was at $35 billion. Trump was forced to sell several large investments, included Trump Shuttle. However, he was able to keep Trump Tower and his three casinos in Atlantic City.

Trump’s father, Fred, died in 1999. It is believe that his estate brought new life into the Trump Organization.

In 2004, Trump and NBC produced The Apprentice. The reality show put want-to-be Trump employees through various business-related odd jobs and eliminated at least one contestant at the end of each task. As host, Trump was originally paid $50,000 per an episode. In 2006, he is making $3 million per an episode and is one of the highest-paid television personalities on the air.

In 2005, Trump’s wealth was estimated at $2.7 billion. However, Trump estimates his wealth around $5 billion.

Trump has twice run for the President of United States – in 1996 as a republican (he lost in the primary to Bob Dole) and in 2000 as the short-lived Reformed Party candidate. He supports both republicans and democrats and donated $2,000 each to both John Kerry and George W. Bush in the 2004 election. While Trump is pro-choice, supports gay rights, and generally opposed the war in Iraq, he voted for Bush due to tax cuts.