Washington. Before running for the US presidency three times in a row, Donald Trump was America’s most colorful billionaire.
The New York real estate mogul’s life dominated the tabloids and television for decades, dating back to his unexpected run for the White House in 2015–16. His famous name and unfiltered campaign style helped him defeat seasoned politicians – but after a controversy-filled tenure, he was ousted from office in a single term. Now 78 years old, Republican Trump is making a shocking political comeback, which could bring him back behind the President’s chair in the Oval Office. Trump is the fourth son of New York real estate tycoon Fred Trump. Despite the family’s wealth, they were expected to work at the lowest level jobs in their father’s company. When he started doing mischief in school, he was sent to a military academy at the age of 13. After graduating from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, he became the favorite to succeed his father after his older brother Fred had decided to become a pilot. Fred Trump died at the age of 43 due to alcohol addiction, prompting his brother to decide to stay away from alcohol and cigarettes for the rest of his life. Trump says he got into real estate with a $1 million loan from his father and joined his company. He helped manage his father’s portfolio of large residential projects in various New York City neighborhoods and in 1971 took control of the company, which he renamed the Trump Organization. According to Trump, his father, whom he calls “my inspiration”, died in 1999. Under Trump, the family business moved from residential units in Brooklyn and Queens to glitzy Manhattan projects. Trump Tower, built on the famous Fifth Avenue, is perhaps his most famous property and was his home for many years. The dilapidated Commodore Hotel was renovated as the Grand Hyatt. Other properties bearing the Trump brand name – such as casinos, condominiums, golf courses and hotels – were also built in locations ranging from Atlantic City, Chicago and Las Vegas to India, Turkey and the Philippines. Her rise to fame continued in the world of entertainment – first as the owner of the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA beauty pageants, then as the creator-host of NBC’s reality show ‘The Apprentice’. For season 14, when The Apprentice contestants were competing for a management contract in his business umpire, his famous line “You’re fired!” Made “The Donald” recognizable in every home. Trump has written several books, appeared in films and pro-wrestling programming, and sold everything from beverages to ties. But his wealth has declined in recent years, and according to Forbes, his current net worth is around $4 billion. Trump has also filed for business bankruptcy six times, and several of his ventures – such as Trump Steaks and Trump University – have failed. He has also shielded his tax information from scrutiny, and reporting by The New York Times in 2020 also revealed years of income tax evasion and ongoing financial losses. Trump’s personal life in headlinesTrump’s personal life has also received a lot of publicity. His first and perhaps most famous wife was Ivana Zelnikova, a Czech athlete and model. The couple had three children – Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric – before divorcing in 1990. Their bitter court case made headlines in gossip columns, and the late Mrs. Trump’s allegations of domestic violence – which she later downplayed – are featured in a new film about Trump. He married actress Marla Maples in 1993; they divorced in 1999, two months after the birth of their only daughter, Tiffany. Trump’s current wife is former Slovenian model Melania Knaus. They married in 2005 and have a son, Barron William Trump, who recently turned 18. Since coming into politics, Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct and relations with women other than his wife. Earlier this year, two separate juries ruled that Trump had defamed writer E. Jean Carroll when he denied her sexual assault allegations. Trump was ordered to pay a total of $88 million in damages, but he has appealed against it and the matter is currently in court. Trump has also been convicted of 34 felony charges of falsifying business records to conceal an alleged relationship with adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2006. What Donald Trump thought about politics: In a 1980 interview, 34-year-old Trump described politics as “a very hard life” and said that “the most capable people” choose the world of business. However, by 1987, he had begun to hint at his candidacy for the presidency. He considered the possibility of running for office with the Reform Party in 2000 and again as a Republican in 2012. Trump was one of the most vocal supporters of “birtherism”, the conspiracy theory that Barack Obama was born in the United States. He did not accept it as a lie until 2016 and never apologized. Trump did not formally announce his candidacy for the White House until June 2015. He declared the American dream dead, but promised to bring it back by building it “bigger and better.” In his eloquent speech he flaunted his wealth and business success; accused Mexico of sending drugs, crime and rapists to the US; And, promised to make the country pay for the border wall. His impressive performances on the debate platform and controversial policy stances garnered him the attention of fans and critics alike, as well as immense media attention. Donald Trump became the 45th President of America under the slogan of ‘Make America Great Again’ campaign. He easily defeated his rivals in the Republican Party and faced Democrat Hillary Clinton. His initial campaign was marred by controversy, including the leaking of an audio tape in which he was heard bragging about sexual assault, and he remained behind in opinion polls throughout the general election. But Trump surprised experts and pollsters and achieved a spectacular victory over an experienced politician. He was sworn in as the 45th President of the country on 20 January 2017. President Donald TrumpFrom the very first hours, he brought unmatched drama to his work, often making formal announcements on Twitter (now X) and openly clashing with foreign leaders. He decided to pull out of major climate and trade agreements, ban travel from seven Muslim-majority countries, issue other stringent immigration restrictions, start a trade war with China, impose record tax cuts and impose sanctions on Middle Eastern countries. Gave a new shape to relations with. For nearly two years, a special counsel investigated alleged collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. Thirty-four people faced criminal charges – such as computer hacking and financial crimes – but not Trump. The investigation did not prove criminal collusion. Trump became the third president to face impeachment. Soon, Trump became the third president in American history to face impeachment. He was accused of pressuring a foreign government to gather evidence against Democratic rival Joe Biden. The Democrat-led House of Representatives impeached him, but the Republican-led Senate acquitted him. His 2020 election year was affected by the Corona virus epidemic. He faced severe criticism for his management during the crisis as the US had the highest number of deaths and infections. Additionally, he also made controversial comments, such as suggesting that the virus could be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body. In October, he himself had to take a break from election campaigning after contracting Covid-19. However, he ultimately received 74 million votes – more than any sitting US president – but lost to Joe Biden by more than seven million votes. From November 2020 to January 2021, he made claims of stolen votes and widespread election fraud – which were rejected in more than 60 court cases. Refusing to accept the results, Trump rallied his supporters in Washington on January 6 and asked them to march on the Capitol when Biden’s victory was to be formally certified by Congress. That rally quickly turned into a riot, putting lawmakers and his own Vice President in danger and historically leading to Trump’s second impeachment. Trump was again acquitted by the Senate, although this time the margin was smaller. There are now two criminal cases filed against Trump because of his actions that day. This time, Republican Donald Trump is contesting against Democrat candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential elections. Tags: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, US Presidential Election 2024FIRST PUBLISHED : November 6, 2024, 03:33 IST