The curtain unveils and here’s standing at the podium, the man of the hour, Donald John Trump. Hey, do you know him just as a business mogul or a media personality? Well, no other trait can beat his identity as an outspoken presidential candidate for 2016. Is it Trump’s career, branding efforts, personal life and wealth that are acting as the spine to back him up? However, Trump’s candidature for president and his campaign for the Republican Party drew media coverage like no other rivals; are those jaw-dropping comments consistently keeping him under the limelight?
Initial Days
Born to Frederick C. and Mary MacLeod Trump on June 14, 1946, Donald John Trump was the fourth of five siblings. As a child, he was an enthusiast chap and went to the New York Military Academy at age 13. He wasn’t only good in academics, but also a star athlete. In 1964, he graduated as a student leader and entered Fordham University. A couple of years later he was transferred to the Wharton School of Finance under the University of Pennsylvania, from where he graduated in 1968 with a degree in economics.
Growth of the Tycoon
Influenced by his father, Frederick Trump, he tried his fortune in real estate development, With a vision manifold, compared to that of the senior, he joined his father’s company Elizabeth Trump & Son. Aided by his convincing attitude, liberal mindset and capable handling, the company saw a financial uplift in no time.
In 1971 Donald Trump took over the ownership and renamed the company as Trump Organization. Social connections and networking with influential people in Manhattan started offering prospective opportunities of manifesting attractive architectural designs, thereby gaining public recognition.
When the Pennsylvania Central Railroad got bankrupt, Trump had to strategically manipulate his plans as he had obtained an option on the railroad’s yards on the West Side of Manhattan. He promoted the property as the location of a city convention center, and it was convincing enough for the city government to select it over two other sites in 1978. Ever since, his turns and tweaks have grown enough profit and economic success to his credit – be it the opening of the Grand Hyatt in1980 or the 58-story Trump Tower in 1982. Trump’s inquisitiveness about casino gambling business saw him winning the license in the said field and signing a partnership contract with Holiday Inn Corporation, the parent company of Harrah’s casino hotels. This was followed by the opening of the $320 million complex Trump’s Castle and later the TajMahal at Atlantic City in 1990. The Barbizon-Plaza Hotel, Television City, the Plaza Hotel, Eastern Air Lines Shuttle (later renamed as Trump Shuttle) are a few more names to add feathers to his cap. 1990s cost a toll with the decline of the real estate market. But the dark phase proved to be short-lived as Trump climbed the ladder from $900 million to nearly $2 billion by 1997.
Marriage Bells…
Well it rang several times in his life! In 1977, Donald Trump marriedIvanaZelnickovaWinklmay, a fashionista from New York. The couple had three children and was happy together till 1991, when the marriage saw a controversial divorce. It was 1993 and Trump married again! This time it was Marla Maples, with whom he had been involved for some time and already had a child. Trump filed yet another publicized divorce in 1997. In 2005, the marriage bell rang for the third time! It was a fancy wedding with model MelaniaKnauss, who gave birth to a son, Barron William Trump, in March 2006.
Controversial Publicity
Ever since, The Apprentice days, Trump’s high-profile public appearance has faced several spin-offs. A staunch non-supporter of Barack Obama, Trump himself was spotted fringing along the rival movements. Well, we can’t overlook the fact that he had his vision paving way to the White House since long. While officially announcing his candidature for the presidential elections, he braved himself through the voice, “I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” Sarcastically interesting, isn’t it?
What was more intriguing was the chain of derogatory remarks that followed thereafter. The scathing comment about Mexicans and the immigrants yielded humongous social outcry. Did anything matter to the mogul while he had to part ways with many of his associates like the NBC, the Professional Golfers Association and Macy’s – the retail chain? What was in Trump’s mind really when he needled John McCain‘s reputation, saying “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured,” after the later got detained for years! Hey, did he not recognize that the detained brave-heart survived several bullets? However, the chain of controversies could only fetch ‘the magnate’ major media attention.
Women couldn’t escape his disparaging tongue either. Some of his outrageous mocks have gone no-extent to ridicule womenfolk. O what an absolute brazen gesture he portrayed, when he commented about Carly Fiorina, “Look at that face!” the magazine quoted Trump as saying. “Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president? I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not s’posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?” Be it “Little Katy, third-rate journalist,” or “I refuse to call Megyn Kelly a bimbo, because that would not be politically correct. Instead I will only call her a lightweight reporter” – there has been several such venomous comments on a couple of reputed female journalists, the globe has today.
Well, Mr. Donald John Trump, the world can only wish you luck and the mass can only behold how far you race as a highbrow. As the day nears, the mob is getting even more curious about your fortune – whether your entity gets subsided with all these pre-election popularity, as just a speck of consolation, or you actually end up bagging the crown. All the best Mr. Dreamer!
Written by Soumi Pandey