The Making of Donald Trump (24 page)
2
getting himself arrested at age twenty-one for his involvement in a battle:
Matt Blum, “1927 News Report: Donald Trump’s Dad Arrested in KKK Brawl with Cops.”
Boingboing
, September 9, 2015.
boingboing.net/2015/09/09/1927-news-report-donald-trump.html
.
3
Almost nine decades later, his son Donald, running for President:
Jason Horowitz, “In Interview, Donald
Trump Denies Report of Father’s Arrest in 1927.”
New York Times
, September 22, 2015.
4
During World War II, Fred Trump landed Government contracts for apartments and barracks to be built:
Rozhon, “Fred C. Trump, Postwar Master Builder of Housing for Middle Class. Dies at 93.”
5
He was also something of a showman, displaying the panache:
Rozhon, “Fred C. Trump, Postwar Master Builder of Housing for Middle Class. Dies at 93.”
6
Decades later, of course, Donald Trump would surround himself with models
: “10 Secrets of Fred Trump’s Coney Island Revealed in History Project Exhibit.” Coney Island History Project, May 26, 2016. www.coney-islandhistory.org/blog/history/10-secrets-fred-trumps-coney-island-revealed-history-project-exhibit.
7
Years later came a stunt that would appear to be a direct inspiration to his son:
Michael D’Antonio, “Ike Didn’t Like Donald Trump’s Dad.”
Daily Beast
, November 23, 2015.
www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/11/23/ike-didn-t-like-trump-s-dad-at-all.html
.
8
Testifying before the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency, Fred Trump insisted:
Hearings before the Committee on Banking and Currency, United States Senate, Eighty-Third Congress, second session, pursuant to S. Res. 229.
9
Taxpayers were not the only source of capital for Fred Trump’s construction projects:
Leonard Buder, “Two with Links to Crime Group Charged by U.S.”
New York Times
, September 11, 1986.
10
Fred Christ Trump was a stern father who expected his sons to learn the family business:
Rozhon, “Fred C. Trump, Postwar Master Builder of Housing for Middle Class. Dies at 93.”
11
As first-born, Fred Jr. was first in line to rise in dad’s business:
Jason Horowitz, “For Donald Trump, Lessons from a Brother’s Suffering.”
New York Times
, January 2, 2016.
12
Meanwhile, Fred Jr. had become a pilot for TWA:
Horowitz, “For Donald Trump, Lessons from a Brother’s Suffering.”
13
With the way now open to becoming next in line in the family business:
Michael Rothman, “Actress Candice Bergen Opens Up About Past ‘Blind Date’ With Donald Trump.”
Abcnews.go.com
, February 12, 2016.
abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/actress-candice-bergen-opens-past-blind-date-donald/story?id=36892025
.
14
Others have said they don’t recall seeing Trump a lot around campus:
Mark Dent, “Donald Trump, Penn Grad, Is (Barely) Remembered by His Alma Mater: ‘Who Wants to Be Associated with Him?’ ”
Billypenn.com
, July 30, 2015.
billypenn.com/2015/07/30/donald-trump-penn-grad-is-barely-remembered-by-his-alma-mater-who-wants-to-be-associated-with-him/
.
1
A violent convicted felon and swindler named Felix Sater:
Charles V. Bagli, “Real Estate Executive with Hand in Trump Projects Rose from Tangled Past.”
New
York Times
, December 17, 2007. Accessed June 20, 2016.
www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/nyregion/17trump.html
.
2
helping Trump make two major development deals in Denver:
John Rebchook, “Trump Looks for Land to Build Hotel, Condos.”
Rocky Mountain News
, July 8, 2006. Accessed June 20, 2016.
www.denverinfill.com/images/blog/2006-07/2006-07-08_trump_looks_for_land_to_build_hotel_condos.pdf
.
3
Trump and Sater gave interviews to the
Rocky Mountain News
: John Rebchook, “Trump Thinking Big for Denver.”
Rocky Mountain News
, September 15, 2005. Accessed June 20, 2016.
www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-136190082.html
.
4
He ripped into the location and functionality of the Denver International Airport:
Andy Vuong, “The World According to Trump.”
Denver Post
, September 15, 2005.
5
described her as “ugly as a dog”:
Christine Steele, “Trump Talks Frankly for Front Range.”
Daily Reporter-Herald
(Loveland, CO), September 15, 2005.
6
“I love losers because they make me feel good about myself”:
Tony Kindelspire, “ ‘The Donald’ Makes an Appearance at Loveland Bixpo.”
Daily Times-Call
(Longmont, CO), September 15, 2005.
7
three dollars rather than the “feaking fortune” paid to Trump:
Vuong, “The World According to Trump.”
8
“because they are gonna try to fleece you”:
Tom Hacker, “Trump’s Bixpo Show Offends—but It’s Show Biz.”
Biz West
, September 30, 2005. Accessed June 20,
2016.
bizwest.com/trumps-bixpo-show-offends-but-its-show-biz/
.
9
Trump has been a party in more than 3,500 lawsuits:
Nick Panzenstadler and Susan Page, “Exclusive: Trump’s 3,500 Lawsuits Unprecedented for a Presidential Nominee.” USA
Today
, June 2, 2016. Accessed June 5, 2016. www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/06/01/donald-trump-lawsuits-legal-battles/84995-854/.
10
“Boy, do I feel good” … “I always get even” … “She bought a beautiful home” … “ ‘Donald, I can’t do that’ ” … “I was really happy when I found that out”:
Hacker, “Trump’s Bixpo Show Offends—but It’s Show Biz.”
11
Rosie O’Donnell, who described him as “a snake-oil salesman”:
Cady Drell, “A Brief History of Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell.”
Newsweek
, August 6, 2015. Accessed June 8, 2016.
www.newsweek.com/behind-donald-trumps-sexist-debate-comment-rosie-odonnell-pigs-fat-view-360701
.
12
and later (on television) “disgusting inside and out”:
Donald Trump and Bill Zanker,
Think Big: Make It Happen in Business and Life
(New York: HarperCollins, 2009), p. 188.
13
He made disparaging remarks about her looks, weight, and sexuality:
Trump and Zanker,
Think Big
, p. 189.
14
“You’ve got to hit a bully really hard really strongly, right between the eyes”:
Trump and Zanker,
Think Big
, p. 190.
15
“Attack them in spades”:
Trump and Zanker,
Think Big
, p. 194.
16
“No one reads the Bible more than I do”:
Jesse Byrnes, “Trump: Kerry Probably Hasn’t Read the Bible.”
The Hill
, February 24, 2016. Accessed June 6, 2016.
thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/270610-trump-kerry-probably-hasnt-read-the-bible
.
17
He says
The Art of the Deal
is the greatest book ever written except for the Bible:
Blake Hounshell, “Trump Bungles Bible Reference at Liberty University.”
Politico
, January 18, 2016. Accessed June 20, 2016.
www.politico.com/story/2016/01/trump-liberty-university-bible-217938
.
18
He has never been able to recite a biblical verse:
Eugene Scott, “Trump Says Bible Is His Favorite Book but Declines to Share Favorite Verse.” CNN, August 27, 2015. Accessed June 6, 2016.
www.cnn.com/2015/08/27/politics/donald-trump-favorite-bible-verses/
.
19
Trump told Bob Lonsberry, a radio host in Rochester, New York, that he was religious:
“Bob Lonsberry Talks with Donald Trump.”
WHAM1180.iheart.com
, April 14, 2016. Accessed June 26, 2016.
wham1180.iheart.com/onair/bob-lonsberry-3440/bob-lonsberry-talks-with-donald-trump-14604930/
.
20
“Well, I think many … we can learn a lot from the Bible, that I can tell you”:
“Bob Lonsberry Talks with Donald Trump.”
WHAM1180.iheart.com
, April 14, 2016. Accessed June 26, 2016.
wham1180.iheart.com/onair/bob-lonsberry-3440/bob-lonsberry-talks-with-donald-trump-14604930/
.
21
“My motto is:
Always get even”: Trump and Zanker,
Think Big
, p. 183.
22
“If you don’t get even, you are just a schmuck! I really mean it, too”:
Trump and Zanker,
Think Big
, p. 190.
1
Two of Donald Trump’s mottos, “Always get even” and “Hit harder”:
Jason Horowitz, “For Donald Trump, Lessons From a Brother’s Suffering.”
New York Times
, January 2, 2016.
2
A letter from a Trump family lawyer instructed Precise:
Heidi Evans, “Inside Trump’s Bitter Battle; Nephew’s Ailing Baby Caught in the Middle.”
New York Daily News
, December 19, 2000.
3
Fred Trump Senior had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1993:
Tracie Rozhon, “Fred C. Trump, Postwar Master Builder of Housing for Middle Class. Dies at 93.” New
York Times
, June 26, 1999.
4
Fred Sr.’s lawyer had drawn attention to the potential for litigation over the estate:
Evans, “Inside Trump’s Bitter Battle; Nephew’s Ailing Baby Caught in the Middle.”
5
The lawyer asked Fred Sr. to fill out a routine estate planning form that described his intentions:
Evans, “Inside Trump’s Bitter Battle; Nephew’s Ailing Baby Caught in the Middle.”
6
she “burst out into tears” on learning her sickly son was in jeopardy:
Evans, “Inside Trump’s Bitter Battle; Nephew’s Ailing Baby Caught in the Middle.”
7
A judge signed an order directing the medical coverage continue until the matter could be resolved:
Linda C. Trump, et al. v. Donald J. Trump, et al. No. 6795/00. Supreme Court, State of New York.
8
Donald said he was doing nothing but carrying out the wishes of his father:
Evans, “Inside Trump’s Bitter Battle; Nephew’s Ailing Baby Caught in the Middle.”
9
Maryanne Trump Barry weighed in, too:
Linda C. Trump, et al. v. Donald J. Trump, et al. No. 6795/00. Supreme Court, State of New York.
10
Years later, while seeking the Republican presidential nomination:
Ray Nothstine, “Donald Trump: ‘I’m Not Sure If I Ever Asked God’s Forgiveness.’ ”
Christian Post
, July 20, 2015.
www.christianpost.com/news/donald-trump-im-not-sure-if-i-ever-asked-gods-forgiveness-141706/
.
11
Trump said his pique at the challenge to his father’s will motivated the termination:
Jason Horowitz, “For Donald Trump, Lessons From a Brother’s Suffering.”
New York Times
, January 2, 2016.
1
Trump has boasted often that he was on the hunt “almost every night”:
Donald Trump and Tony Schwartz,
Trump: The Art of the Deal
(New York: Ballantine, 2015), p. 97.
2
By Trump’s account, Cohn became a business mentor and nearly a second father to him:
Michael Kruse, “ ‘He Brutalized For You.’ ”
Politico
. N.p., April 8, 2016. Web. June 16, 2016.
3
It also ensnared Trump in a jewelry tax scam and in a lawsuit:
William Bastone, “The Bulgari Sales Tax Scam.”
Village Voice
, November 25, 1986. Accessed June 20, 2016.
4
In Cohn, Trump had someone who could be “vicious” on his behalf:
Kruse, “ ‘He Brutalized For You.’ ”
5
Then he set out to join Le Club, which Trump regarded as “the hottest club in the city”:
Anthony Haden, “Donald Trump’s Nights Out with Roy Cohn.”
Daily Beast
, N.p., January 30, 2016. Web. June 5, 2016.
6
“I don’t kid myself about Roy”:
Trump and Schwartz,
Trump: The Art of the Deal
, p. 99.
7
Fred Trump had faced similar accusations two decades earlier, both from the government and from legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie:
Michael D’Antonio, “Ike Didn’t Like Donald Trump’s Dad.”
Daily Beast
, N.p., November 23, 2015. Web. June 7, 2016.
8
Guthrie had moved into an apartment at Beach Haven, Fred Trump’s first major housing project, in 1950:
William Kaufman, “Woody Guthrie, ‘Old Man Trump’ and a Real Estate Empire’s Racist Foundations.”
The Conversation
, January 21, 2016. Accessed June 5, 2016. the-conversation.com/woody-guthrie-old-man-trump-and-a-real-estate-empires-racist-foundations-53026.
9
At Trump’s Shore Haven apartments, the superintendent told a white woman:
Gideon Resnick, “DOJ: Trump’s Early Businesses Blocked Blacks.”
Daily Beast
, December 15, 2015. Accessed June 8, 2016.
10
The Justice Department sued Donald Trump, his father
,
and Trump Management:
Morris Kaplan, “Major Landlord Accused of Antiblack Bias in City.”
New York Times
, October 16, 1973. Accessed June 8, 2016.