Donald Trump biography, net worth, age, wife and son, ancestry, attempted assassination 2025

Biography of Donald Trump

Donald John Trump is an American entrepreneur, billionaire, real estate mogul, and owner of a vast empire of hotels and casinos. He has authored numerous books on business and self-development. He is a member of the Republican Party. On November 8, 2016, Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States. He ran in the 2020 election but lost to Joe Biden. He has announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election. During a rally for his campaign, he survived an assassination attempt – the bullet grazed his right ear.

Childhood

In 1930, 18-year-old Mary MacLeod left her Scottish village for a New York vacation. There, fate brought her together with 25-year-old Fred Trump, the son of German immigrants, who had already built his own construction company at such a young age.

In 1936, the couple married and bought a cottage in a respectable area of Queens. Fred continued his construction business, while Mary devoted herself entirely to motherhood. Donald Trump was the fourth child in the family, but having inherited his father's tough and assertive character, he wasn't about to settle for the role of younger brother. Neither his parents nor school teachers could handle the unruly Donald, so at 13, he was shipped off to the New York Military Academy.

Donald Trump (far left) with his siblings

As a cadet, Trump showed himself to be a disciplined student, excelling in academics, social adaptability, and sports. His parents were thrilled with their son, who had suddenly become serious, and even began holding him up as an example for the other children.

Donald Trump with his parents at graduation from the New York Military Academy

First Steps Towards Success

In 1964, Trump graduated with honors from military academy and enrolled at Fordham University. After studying there for four semesters, he transferred to the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1968, he earned a bachelor's degree in economics and then joined the family business. Donald dove headfirst into real estate, determined to inherit the Trump construction empire and dramatically expand his father's fortune.

Young Donald Trump started working for the family business

Donald's first assigned project was the grand residential complex Swifton Village in Ohio, featuring 1,200 middle-class apartments. With Trump at the helm, the company wrapped up the project in just one year, investing $6 million in construction and pulling in $12 million from apartment sales.

The residential quarter of Swifton Village – Donald Trump's first project

Doubling the investment was a stellar launch to his career, but Trump wasn't about to stop there. The Ohio apartment construction was government-sponsored, but Donald knew that for bigger projects, he needed to court financial backing not from government agencies, but from the power players: bankers, top executives, oil magnates. In 1971, Donald secured an apartment in the heart of New York – right on Manhattan Island. There, he quickly built connections with influential power brokers.

Donald Trump and Fred Trump – legendary father and son

The Rise of an Empire

In 1974, Trump leveraged new connections to win the bid for restoring the crumbling Commodore Hotel. The surrounding buildings were equally run-down and desperately needed investment, just like the city itself, which was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Donald managed to secure tax breaks from the city for 40 years. Major New York banks also backed him with a $70 million mortgage loan. The condition was that Trump had to revitalize the area.

The Commodore Hotel before and after Trump's renovation

Trump's firm tackled the project, and six years later, Manhattan residents watched a sleek 25-story glass-and-steel tower rise where the dreary yellow building once stood, surrounded by vibrant new neighborhoods. Years later, in October 1996, hotel giant Hyatt bought half the rights to the property, padding Trump's fortune by $142 million.

Trump has changed the face of Manhattan forever

In 1979, Donald set his sights on a piece of land on Fifth Avenue, across from the Tiffany & Co. jewelry store. When asked why he picked that location, he said, "The wealthiest people in New York always hang around Tiffany's." By 1983, the 58-story Trump Tower dominated that prime real estate, towering above every other building in the city.

The facade of the famous Trump Tower skyscraper

The building quickly earned its reputation as an elite destination: apartments boasted Central Park views, the ground floor featured upscale boutiques and restaurants, pink marble covered the floors, and a towering fountain dominated the lobby. Every apartment sold within months, boosting Trump's fortune by $200 million.

When New Jersey legalized gambling in 1977, Trump spotted his next big break. In 1980, he snatched up Atlantic City real estate and put his brother Robert in charge of securing a gambling license. In 1982, the lavish Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino opened its doors with a $250 million price tag. In 1986, Donald acquired a local Hilton and transformed it into the $320 million Trump's Castle. At the same time, he was building what would become the world's largest hotel-casino, the Trump Taj Mahal, which opened in 1990.

Donald Trump at the opening of Trump Plaza

On the Verge of Bankruptcy

By the early '90s, Donald Trump's net worth was estimated at $1 billion. Beyond his network of hotels, casinos, and luxury residential skyscrapers, the Trump empire included the airline Trump Shuttle, the New Jersey Generals football team, and countless small enterprises that even Donald couldn't keep track of. Gradually, he started losing control of his rapidly expanding business empire.

At some point, Trump's holding company broke out of control

He financed new projects with borrowed money—a risky move. Trump's creditors included major banks and investment companies: Citicorp, Merrill Lynch, Chase Manhattan. His debts spiraled rapidly, and a looming real estate crisis made bankruptcy even more likely. By the early '90s, his debts hit $9.8 billion, with $900 million coming from Trump's own pocket. On the verge of bankruptcy, the businessman had to mortgage Trump Tower. The media piled on, criticizing Donald's every move.

Trump on bankruptcy: "I'm not some jerk. Even if the whole world goes down, I won't lose a penny"

Through sheer persistence, Donald managed to dig himself out of the debt hole. Income from his casinos covered most of the debts, and by 1997, the mogul had fully repaid what he owed and started working on new projects. In 2001, Trump's company, in collaboration with the Korean firm Daewoo, completed the construction of the 72-story Trump World Tower. The 262-meter skyscraper shot up directly across from the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan.

The 2008 financial crisis was another shock for Trump's construction empire. Plummeting sales kept him from paying off a $40 million loan on time. Although the billionaire could easily cover the debt from his own pocket, he filed for bankruptcy, claiming the crisis was beyond his control. On February 17, 2009, Trump announced his decision to leave the Board of Directors of his own company.

Television Appearances

In 2002, Trump launched the prime-time reality show "The Apprentice," where contestants competed for the chance to become a top executive in his company. Unsuccessful participants heard the businessman's signature phrase: "You're fired!" (In 2004, he even applied to trademark "You're fired!"). Trump earned about $50,000 per episode in the first season, but by the second season, his fee had skyrocketed to $3 million per episode, making him one of the highest-paid hosts on television.

Every Thursday, the legendary 'You're fired!' was heard on NBC

In 2006, Trump and NBC acquired the Miss Universe Organization, which runs the Miss Universe and Miss America beauty pageants.

The real estate mogul also made cameos in several movies and TV shows, including the comedy "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," where he gave young Macaulay Culkin directions to the lobby.

Donald Trump's cameo in Home Alone 2

In 2007, Trump received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for creating the reality show "The Apprentice."

Trump's star has been repeatedly targeted by vandals

In October of the same year, Donald appeared on Larry King's show, where he sharply criticized George W. Bush's foreign policy and Angelina Jolie's appearance. Many remember other words he said during that evening broadcast: Trump stated that he would undoubtedly support Rudolph Giuliani and Hillary Clinton in the next election if they ran for president. This speech was brought up again in 2013 when Trump was a guest on the show.

Interview: Larry King Interviews Donald Trump on Larry King Now - October 4, 2013

Political Career: The Most Influential Republican

Trump had been floated as a potential U.S. presidential candidate since the 1980s, but his political allegiances constantly shifted between conservative and liberal positions. By 2009, he'd largely settled on his political stance and joined the Republican Party. In 2011, supporters pushed to nominate the successful businessman for the presidential race, but Trump said he wasn't ready to leave the private sector.

On June 16, 2015, Trump let Americans know he had changed his mind, announcing his readiness to run for president. His presidential campaign was strategically mapped out: he started in New Hampshire, a traditional Republican stronghold, then moved to Nevada and California, states where he'd made significant financial investments. Trump also held countless rallies to energize crowds and build voter support.

Trump's election campaign was crowned with success

Trump's personality drove his appeal: the political newcomer was known for speaking bluntly, without sugar-coating anything. This approach earned him a reputation as an unconventional straight-talker.

Donald Trump: 'I will be the greatest president ever created by God'

Trump's main campaign points focused on the following areas of American society: immigration, healthcare, the economy, and domestic policy. He took a harsh stance toward immigrants from Mexico and the Middle East. If elected, Trump vowed to build a wall along the Mexican border. He also repeatedly demanded the complete destruction of ISIS.

Donald Trump blames Democrats for creating ISIS

Trump demanded the repeal of Barack Obama's healthcare program, claiming it was too expensive for the government and that he could easily find more effective, cheaper alternatives for taxpayers.

Trump: 'I will build a wall on the border and make Mexico pay for it'

Even Democrats paid attention when the billionaire talked economics; he pushed for bringing manufacturing back to the U.S., raising tariffs on goods made overseas by American companies, and stressed the need for a trade war with China.

He detailed his views further in the book "Crippled America," published in 2015.

Photos from the presentation of Donald Trump's book 'Crippled America'

According to Forbes, Trump's fortune surpassed $4 billion in 2016. It continued to grow, partly due to real estate licensing – developers paid Trump to build and sell new projects under his name.

In March 2016, Donald Trump was named the most likely Republican presidential candidate and was predicted to face Hillary Clinton in the final election round.

The 45th U.S. presidential election delivered shocking results. A month before election day, both candidates faced serious negative publicity. Clinton became entangled in an FBI investigation, and Trump faced accusations of sexual harassment. Clinton was confidently predicted to win, especially after the third and final debates. However, the results stunned everyone – Trump decisively beat his opponent, securing 306 electoral votes out of the required 270, claiming the presidency.

The 45th President of the United States Donald Trump

On December 19, 2016, the Electoral College confirmed the election results, giving Trump 304 votes. Only two electors broke from their pledged votes.

Donald Trump's Inauguration: Full Video

Presidency

Trump was sworn in as president on January 20, 2017. In his inaugural address, Trump vowed to "bridge the divide between the ruling elite, the corrupt establishment, and American society," drastically reshape the job market by removing all undocumented immigrants, pull out of disadvantageous political alliances, find common ground with Russia, channel all resources toward America's benefit, and destroy Islamic terrorists. Republican Mike Pence served as Trump's vice president.

During his first two years in office, Trump signed countless executive orders targeting economic and foreign policy changes: he opened up new oil and gas drilling areas in the Gulf of Mexico and most oceans, strengthened anti-terrorism measures, launched a missile attack on Damascus after Syria's president used chemical weapons against rebels, and pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement, which had given the "P5+1" nations some oversight of Iran's nuclear program.

But domestically, Trump's persistent promise to build a wall between the US and Mexico to stop illegal immigration triggered fierce political battles.

Donald Trump with the Mexican Wall Project

The southern border wall triggered a US government shutdown in late 2018. The Mexican border wall (dubbed the "Trump Wall"), a centerpiece of his campaign, carried a price tag of nearly six billion dollars.

Trump's critics repeatedly raised questions about his Russian connections and claimed he won votes through indirect Russian "troll farm" interference in social media campaigns before the election.

For instance, journalists pointed to the popular "Black Activist" page, where they alleged "Prigozhin trolls" persuaded followers not to vote for Hillary Clinton. The president, of course, denied this connection. Special counsel Robert Mueller investigated these claims for two years but came up empty, finding no evidence that would sway Congress.

Donald Trump's Personal Life

Donald Trump has been married three times. His first wife was Czechoslovakian model Ivana Zelnickova. The couple married in 1977. That same year, their first son Donald Jr. was born. Four years later, Trump welcomed daughter Ivanka Trump, followed by their second son Eric in 1984. Donald and Ivana Trump's marriage ended in 1992. After the divorce, his ex-wife dubbed him "The Donald" - a nickname the press quickly embraced.

Trump started dating his second wife, actress Marla Maples, in 1989. Shortly after his divorce from Ivana, he proposed to her. She gave birth to their daughter Tiffany. The marriage was short-lived though - they divorced in 1999. While Tiffany grew up with her mother in California, her father remained involved in raising her.

The wedding of Donald Trump and Marla Maples, 1993

In early 2005, Donald married his third wife, 34-year-old Slovenian model Melania Knauss. The Slovenian beauty had graced glossy magazine covers and wasn't shy about posing for revealing photo shoots. Their lavish wedding ranked among the most expensive ceremonies ever, with a $45 million budget. In 2006, their son Barron William Trump was born.

Attempted Impeachment

From day one of Donald Trump's presidency, Democrats were already talking impeachment. Several attempts were made, but with Republicans controlling the House of Representatives (the lower chamber of Congress), these efforts never got past the voting stage.

Everything changed after the November 2018 midterm elections, right in the middle of Trump's presidency, when Democrats flipped control of the House. Trump's opponents finally had their chance to launch a new corruption investigation.

Before the November elections, Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen admitted he'd lied to the court in 2017 about Trump's plans to build a 100-story Trump Tower in Moscow. He'd previously claimed Trump had no such plans, but new evidence showed the billionaire did want to build the skyscraper before changing his mind around June 2016. This sparked fresh Russia-related accusations against Trump, with more and more Democrats demanding that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launch impeachment proceedings.

But the actual trigger for impeachment became "Ukrainegate" – a scandal reminiscent of the Watergate affair that destroyed President Richard Nixon's career. Trump was accused of pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for two months (May through September 2019), trying to dig up dirt on Joe Biden – his likely 2020 opponent – in exchange for promised financial and military aid to Ukraine.

Zelensky was supposed to help investigate Hunter Biden's allegedly corrupt activities – Biden's son had served on the board of Ukrainian gas company Burisma from 2014 to 2015.

US intelligence reported the pressure campaign against Zelensky, and the White House tried to hide it from Congress – a violation of existing laws. On September 24, 2019, Nancy Pelosi announced the investigation, and by October 31, Donald Trump was officially impeached. Public hearings began two weeks later, while the Trump administration blocked White House staff from cooperating with Congress. Donald Trump responded to all accusations on his Twitter:

Witch hunt!

But when the Republican-controlled Senate reviewed the charges in February 2020, Trump was fully acquitted.

2020 Election

The presidential election in the USA was scheduled for November 3, 2020. Donald Trump's main opponent was Democrat Joe Biden, a senator and vice president under Barack Obama.

A month before the election, Donald Trump contracted the coronavirus along with his wife, but he recovered completely after a few days. According to the president, he received a course of experimental antibody treatment. After recovering from Covid-19, he visited 9 traditionally Republican states.

Following lackluster debate performances from both candidates, early polling data showed Biden ahead: 51.3% to Trump's 43.5%. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, early voting was possible, including by mail. About one third of voters took advantage of this. Polling data revealed that Biden supporters, who skewed younger and more progressive, heavily favored mail-in voting, while Trump's base was expected to vote in person. Political analysts warned this could create chaos and fuel unrest in an already volatile climate.

After extended vote counting and Trump's legal challenges, the Electoral College delivered Biden the win: 306 votes to Trump's 232. Thus, Joe Biden became the new president of the USA.

Capitol Riot 2021

The final tally and Biden's official victory didn't sit well with Trump or his supporters. Almost immediately, he claimed Democrats had orchestrated massive fraud in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Trump repeatedly aired his claims on Twitter until the platform banned his account for spreading misinformation.

In his tweets and at rallies, Donald Trump also called on his supporters to "rise up," and soon they listened. Following massive rallies on January 5 and 6, 2021, Trump supporters breached the Capitol in Washington as the Electoral College was certifying results. Rioters smashed windows and doors to enter the building, forcing security to evacuate both chambers of Congress. The chaos left five people dead, including a Capitol police officer.

Trump calls for supporters to march to US Capitol before the riot

Trump blamed the riot on what he called a "stolen" election but refused to take responsibility, even condemning the Capitol attack. He insisted Democrats' actions had triggered the Capitol breach and occupation.

FBI Search

On the morning of August 8, 2022, the FBI searched Donald Trump's estate in Florida. They discovered boxes containing 11 sets of classified documents. The search was conducted as part of an investigation into the illegal use of defense information, theft, and destruction of documents.

The Case of the 2020 Election

Federal prosecutors launched a criminal case against Donald Trump for his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election after he, his legal team, and several supporters worked to challenge the vote outcome.

Trump and his supporters took several steps to alter the election outcome, including pressuring Vice President Mike Pence and creating a list of fake electors.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation into these actions in January 2022, later expanding it to include the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. In November 2022, Special Counsel Jack Smith was appointed to lead the investigation.

On August 1, 2023, a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. charged Trump with four counts, including conspiracy to defraud, obstruction of official proceedings, and conspiracy against citizens' rights. This marked the first time in U.S. history that a former president faced charges related to actions taken while in office. Trump denied these charges, declaring his innocence.

The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court after the D.C. Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that Trump did not have immunity from prosecution. On July 1, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have certain immunity from criminal prosecution for "official acts" performed while in office.

2024 Election Campaign

Donald Trump announced his 2024 presidential run on October 16, 2022, saying:

To make America great again, I am running for President of the United States tonight.

Meanwhile, in October 2022, Congress summoned the billionaire for questioning about the January 2021 events, and the Attorney General sued the former president and his children. Trump faced accusations of multiple fraud instances (200 cases over 10 years) — the Trump Organization allegedly inflated assets to secure better loans and pay lower taxes.

The scandal involving Trump's connection with adult film actress Stormy Daniels also gained momentum. In 2018, The Wall Street Journal reported that before the 2016 election, Trump's lawyer paid Daniels $180,000 to keep quiet about their alleged 2006 affair. In 2023, investigators found Trump had paid this money not from personal funds but from campaign funds. On May 31, 2024, a jury found Trump guilty.

Despite the scandals, Trump secured the Republican Party nomination. His opponent was once again Joe Biden.

Assassination Attempt on Trump

On July 13, 2024, Donald Trump was seven minutes into his Butler, Pennsylvania rally when a bullet grazed his right ear. Secret Service agents rushed to shield him. Trump raised his clenched fist and shouted, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" A photographer captured the moment, and the image instantly went viral. Merchandise featuring the photo went on sale the same day.

Photo from the assassination attempt on Donald Trump on July 13, 2024

Just millimeters separated the presidential candidate from death. Just before the shot, Trump turned to a chart displaying immigration statistics. If he hadn't turned, the bullet would have hit his head.

A Secret Service sniper took down the gunman. They quickly identified him as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He fired eight shots from an AR-15 rifle. One bullet killed 50-year-old Trump supporter Corey Comperatore. Two others were seriously injured.

Crooks' background reveals a middle-class upbringing and strong academic performance, though he was bullied for being withdrawn and wearing camouflage clothing. He enjoyed shooting. He was a registered Republican but donated $15 to the Democrats in 2021. Those who knew Crooks were surprised by the assassination attempt, given his radical conservative views. The FBI searched his car and found several explosive devices inside.

The assassination attempt led to a sharp rise in Donald Trump's ratings. After a hospital check-up, the presidential candidate posted an official statement on his social network, Truth Social:

I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

2024 Presidential Election

Election Day was November 5. By midnight, Donald Trump had built a commanding lead. Major news outlets including AP and CNN called the race for the Republican.

Ironically, Trump's sentencing was scheduled for November 26. He was set to appear in Manhattan court on charges involving falsified records. Trump denies any wrongdoing.

The Electoral College is set to meet on December 17 for the formal vote for president and vice president.

The Inauguration Day will take place on January 20. The president-elect and vice president-elect will be sworn in at noon, marking the official start of their term.

Project 2025

Project 2025, also known as the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, is a Heritage Foundation initiative targeting sweeping changes to the U.S. federal government. The plan's main goal is strengthening executive power after Trump's 2024 election. The project includes:

Firing thousands of federal employees and replacing them with presidential loyalists. This involves changing federal job rules to make it easier to remove employees who don't align with conservative goals. The policy aims to weaken the "deep state" and strengthen presidential control over federal agencies.
Rolling back environmental and climate regulations while providing business tax breaks. The project calls for loosening restrictions on energy and fossil fuel companies, which supporters say will cut business costs and boost the economy.
Promoting conservative Christian values while restricting LGBTQ+ rights.
Implementing strict immigration policies, including mass deportations and tighter border security. The plan calls for using the military for domestic security and border enforcement.
Reducing federal agency power while expanding presidential authority. Project 2025 supporters believe this restructuring will help the president implement his agenda more effectively, especially where conservatives clash with Congress or the courts.

Amanda Gonzales

I think Donald Trump is mostly doing some kind of nonsense. It would be better to think about the people.

2021-05-18 14:49:35
Wayne Harris

My friends did not want to vote for him. They spoke badly about him, I have the same opinion.

2021-04-30 08:12:17
Erika Clark

It hurts me, as a woman, to see the relationship between Trump and his wife`s Melania. There has been no love and respect for a long time...

2021-04-09 18:08:25
Nathaniel Adam Jenkins

A very rich man, Donald Trump, a controversial personality. Can`t even say anything

2021-03-27 20:13:30
Patricia Thompson

In my opinion, Trump was a worthy leader in America who did not stay for a second term. Well, bad luck.

2021-03-13 15:46:43

Photos: Donald Trump