Us presidential candidates : Donald Trump

DONALD J. TRUMP
Chairman and President, The Trump Organization

Donald J. Trump is the very definition of the American success story, continually setting the standards of excellence while expanding his interests in real estate, sports, and entertainment. He is the archetypal businessman – a deal maker without peer.
Mr. Trump started his business career in an office he shared with his father in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. He worked with his father for five years, where they were busy making deals together. Mr. Trump has been quoted as saying, “My father was my mentor, and I learned a tremendous amount about every aspect of the construction industry from him.” Likewise, Fred C. Trump often stated that “some of my best deals were made by my son, Donald...everything he touches seems to turn to gold.” Mr. Trump then entered the very different world of Manhattan real estate.
In New York City and around the world, the Trump signature is synonymous with the most prestigious of addresses.  Among them are the world-renowned Fifth Avenue skyscraper, Trump Tower, and the luxury residential buildings, Trump Parc, Trump Palace, Trump Plaza, 610 Park Avenue, The Trump World Tower (the tallest building on the East Side of Manhattan), and Trump Park Avenue.  Mr. Trump was also responsible for the designation and construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on land controlled by him, known as the West 34th Street Railroad Yards, and the total exterior restoration of the Grand Central Terminal as part of his conversion of the neighboring Commodore Hotel into the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The development is considered one of the most successful restorations in the City and earned Mr. Trump an award from Manhattan’s Community Board Five for the “tasteful and creative recycling of a distinguished hotel.” Over the years, Mr. Trump has owned and sold many great buildings in New York including the Plaza Hotel (which he renovated and brought back to its original grandeur, as heralded by the New York Times Magazine), the St. Moritz Hotel (three times…and now called the Ritz Carlton on Central Park South) and until 2002, the land under the Empire State Building (which allowed the land and lease to be merged together for the first time in over 50 years).

Additionally, the NikeTown store is owned byMr. Trump, on East 57th Street and adjacent to Tiffany's. In early 2008, Gucci openedtheir largest store in the world in Trump Tower.
In 1997, the Trump International Hotel & Tower opened its doors to the world.This 52 story mixed–use super luxury hotel and residential building is located on thecrossroads of Manhattan's West Side, on Central Park West at Columbus Circle. It wasdesigned by the world-famous architect, Philip Johnson, and has achieved some of thehighest sales prices and rentals in the United States. As one of only three hotels in thenation to have received a double Forbes Five-Star rating for both the hotel and itsrestaurant, Jean-Georges, it has also received the Five Star Diamond Award from theAmerican Academy of Hospitality Sciences, and was voted the number one business hotelin New York City by Travel + Leisure Magazine. Conde Nast Traveler Magazine has named it the number one hotel in the US, and its innovative concept has been copiedworldwide. It has won the Forbes Five-Star Hotel Award each year from 2009 to 2015 andranked in the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice awards every year since 2010. Thisyear marks the eighteenth anniversary of this Trump Hotel Collection gem.
Mr. Trump was also the developer of the largest parcel of land in New York City,the former West Side Rail Yards which is now Trump Place. On this 100 acre property,fronting along the Hudson River from 59th Street to 72nd Street, is the largest developmentever approved by the New York City Planning Commission. There are a total of 16buildings on the site, with Mr. Trump building the first nine buildings and the otherportion of land being sold for a substantial amount. Mr. Trump also donated a 25 acrewaterfront park on Trump Place and a 700 foot sculptured pier to the city of New York.
Other acquisitions in New York City include The Trump Building at 40 Wall Street,the landmark 1.3 million square foot, 72-story building located in Manhattan's FinancialDistrict, directly across from the New York Stock Exchange and the tallest building indowntown Manhattan. This purchase, which took place at the depths of the New York Cityreal estate market, is said to be one of the best real estate deals made in the last twenty-fiveyears and is considered to have one of the most beautiful Tops of any building in thecountry. In addition, Mr. Trump built 610 Park Avenue (at 64th Street), formerly known asthe Mayfair Regent Hotel, which was very successfully converted into super-luxurycondominium apartments achieving, at that time, the highest prices on Park Avenue.Further east, adjacent to the United Nations, sits the spectacular Trump World Tower, a90-story luxury residential building and one of the tallest residential towers in the world.The Trump World Tower has received rave reviews from the architectural critics, withHerbert Muschamp of the New York Times calling it a handsome hunk of a glass tower.Likewise, Trump World Tower is considered one of the most successful condominiumtowers ever built in the United States.
In 2001, Mr. Trump announced plans for his first foray into Chicago, where heplanned to build the Trump International Hotel & Tower/Chicago. The 2.7 million squarefoot, 92-story mixed-use tower is located on the banks of the Chicago River, directly west ofMichigan Avenue (the most prominent site in Chicago), and is one of the tallest residencesin the world and the ninth tallest building in the world. The architect is Skidmore, Owings& Merrill, Chicago, and the tower also includes four levels of retail shops. The hotel openedin January of 2008 to great acclaim, and in 2010 received Travel + Leisure Magazine'saward as the #1 Hotel in the US and Canada as well as their World's Best Business HotelAward in 2014. Conde Nast Traveler ranked the hotel in its Readers' Choice Awardsevery year since 2011. The hotel has earned Five-Star ratings for hotel and restaurant inthe Forbes Travel Guide Awards in 2014 and 2015, and has been a AAA Five DiamondHotel award winner since 2011.
In 2002, Mr. Trump purchased the fabled Delmonico Hotel, located at 59th Streetand Park Avenue and re-developed it into a state-of-the-art luxury 35 story condominiumnamed Trump Park Avenue. It was Mr. Trump's desire to make this one of the mostluxurious buildings in New York City, which was achieved. Mr. Trump has been lauded bya multitude of publications for having retained the grandeur and charm of the building while incorporating 21st century services and amenities. Mr. Trump is co-owner, withVornado Realty Trust, of the iconic 555 California Street Tower (The Bank of Americabuilding) in San Francisco, one of the most important office buildings on the West Coast ofthe U.S., and the prized 1290 Avenue of the Americas building, one of New York's biggestbuildings with the largest office floorplates in New York.
Mr. Trump's portfolio of holdings also includes Trump National Golf Club inWestchester, NY, a signature Fazio golf course and residential development, and a 250 acreestate known as the Mansion at Seven Springs, the former home of Katharine Graham (ofThe Washington Post and Rockefeller University), which will be developed into a worldclass luxury housing development. Mr. Trump also purchased one of the largest parcels ofland in California which fronts, for two and a half miles, along the Pacific Ocean. A DonaldJ. Trump championship golf course, called Trump National Golf Club/Los Angeles, hasbeen built on this site, and it has been voted the number one golf course in California.Seventy-five luxury estates will follow. In addition, the Tom Fazio designed TrumpNational Golf Club has been built in Lamington Farms in Bedminster, New Jersey, on the525 acre Cowperthwaite Estate, considered to be the best in the state. An additional 18 holecourse was opened recently. In November of 2008, Mr. Trump received approval todevelop Trump International Golf Links Scotland, located in Aberdeen, Scotland, withover three miles of spectacular ocean waterfront. It opened on July 10 of 2012 and a second18 hole course has been approved. In July 2013, Golf Week Magazine named TrumpInternational Golf Links Scotland The Best Modern Day Golf Course In The World.Trump International Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, has 1250 acres of oceanwaterfront and has two 18 hole championship courses. In August of 2008, Mr. Trumppurchased a golf course in Colts Neck, New Jersey, which is now Trump National GolfClub/Colts Neck, and in February of 2009 he bought an 800 acre parcel of land and clubnear Washington, D.C. that fronts the Potomac River for three miles, to become TrumpNational Golf Club, Washington D.C. Two more golf courses were added to his portfolio inDecember of 2009, Trump National Golf Club—Philadelphia, and Trump National GolfClub—Hudson Valley. In April of 2010, a new celebrity reality series, Donald J. Trump'sFabulous World of Golf debuted on Golf Channel with great success and the Fehertyinterview of Mr. Trump was the highest rated show in the history of Golf Channel.
In Palm Beach, Florida, Mr. Trump has converted the famous and historic estateowned by Marjorie Merriweather Post and E.F. Hutton, Mar-a-Lago, into the2013private, ultra-luxury Mar-a-Lago Club. It has received the award from the AmericanAcademy of Hospitality Sciences as the Best Club Anywhere in the World. It wasdesignated a National Historic Landmark in 1980 and Mar-a-Lago is often referred to asThe Jewel of Palm Beach. Also in Palm Beach and located 7 minutes from Mar-a-Lago isthe Trump International Golf Club. Designed by the famed golf course architect Jim Fazio,this $40 million golf course has magnificent tropical landscaping, water features andstreams and elevations of 100 feet (unprecedented in all of Florida). Opened in October1999, this course has been acclaimed as one of the best in the United States. An additionalnine hole course was opened in 2006 to equal acclaim.
The Trump Hotel Collection was created to designate a new level of internationallyimportant hotels, defined by elegance and attention to detail. One of the most elegantadditions to the Las Vegas skyline is a super-luxury 60 story hotel condominium tower, the5-star Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. This hotel was named by USA Today as theBest Bet in Vegas in 2012 and was listed on Travel + Leisure's list of World's BestBusiness Hotel Awards in 2011. Current and future developments in the Trump HotelCollection include towers in SoHo/New York (which opened in spring of 2010 and madeTravel + Leisure Magazine's list of the best new hotels—the only one in New York to beincluded—as well as the AAA Five Diamond distinction in 2013 and 2014), their World'sBest Business Hotel Awards: New York in 2011), Chicago (opened 2008), Waikiki/Hawaii(opened November 2009 which has received Forbes Travel Guide's Five Star hotel rating in2015), Panama (opened July 2011 and received the Luxury Travel Advisor's Top 10Luxury Hotel Openings in 2011), Toronto (which received the Forbes Five Star rating in2014), Trump National Doral Miami (which will complete its $250 million transformationin early 2015), and Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland (a highly sought-afteracquisition by The Trump Organization in 2014). International hotels developments as of2015 include Baku, Azerbaijan (opening in June 2015); Vancouver, BC and Rio de Janiero,both opening in 2016. Trump Towers, Istanbul, Sisli, combines two towers (one residentialtower and one office tower), located in the vibrant Mecidiyekov district.
In February of 2012, The Trump Organization was selected as the developer of thefamous Old Post Office Building in Washington, D.C. This building is considered a prizedjewel and competition for it was fierce. Plans include a nearly 300 room luxury hotel, amuseum gallery, and retaining the original exterior façade, doors, hallways and interiorfeatures. When completed, this hotel, which sits on Pennsylvania Avenue, will be one of themost luxurious in the world, and is seen as a generational asset by the Trump family.Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C., is slated to open in 2016.
In a departure from his real estate acquisitions, Mr. Trump and the NBC TelevisionNetwork are partners in the ownership and broadcast rights for the three largest beautycompetitions in the world: the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA Pageants. Arecent Miss Universe pageant won the night in ratings in the #1 slot and it is currentlybroadcast in 180 countries. Miss USA won the night in ratings in 2011. Trump ModelManagement, which was founded in 1999, has become one of the leading modeling agenciesin New York City.
Mr. Trump rebuilt the Wollman Skating Rink (now the Trump Rink) in CentralPark. This project was particularly special to Mr. Trump. The city had been trying forseven years to rebuild and restore the Rink, whereupon Mr. Trump interceded andrestored the rink in four months at only $1.8 million of the City's $20,000,000 cost.Similarly, he rebuilt Lasker Rink, in Harlem, also located in Central Park, which has hadgreat success as well. In addition, Mr. Trump is given credit, as stated by everyone in theknow and as Mark J. Penn's book Microtrends reports, for having made a major and veryfavorable impact on the economy of the city by creating the condominium boom, versus theco-ops that were more prevalent in the past.
An accomplished author, Mr. Trump's 1987 autobiography, The Art of the Deal,became one of the most successful business best-sellers of all time, having sold in excess ofthree million copies, and being a New York Times number one best-seller for many weeks.The sequel, Surviving at the Top, was on The New York Times best-seller list and was also anumber one best-seller as was his third book, The Art of the Comeback. Mr. Trump'sfourth book, The America We Deserve, was a departure from his past literary efforts. Thisbook deals with issues most important to the American people today and focuses on theviews regarding American political, economic and social problems. His fifth book, How ToGet Rich: Big Deals from the Star of The Apprentice, became an immediate bestseller on alllists, as did Trump: The Way to the Top and Trump: Think Like a Billionaire which wasreleased in October of 2004. Trump: The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received was published inApril 2005, followed by Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received in 2006. He hasalso teamed up with Robert Kiyosaki to make publishing history with their book, Why WeWant You To Be Rich: Two Men, One Message, which in October of 2006 made the #1 spoton the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestseller lists. Trump 101:The Way To Success debuted in late 2006. In October of 2007 Mr. Trump's book with BillZanker, Think Big was launched. In early 2008, Mr. Trump's Never Give Up was released,followed by Think Like a Champion in April of 2009. Midas Touch, another collaborationwith Robert Kiyosaki, was released in October of 2011. Time To Get Tough: MakingAmerica #1 Again was released in early December of 2011, becoming a bestseller.
A native of New York City, Mr. Trump is a graduate of The Wharton School ofFinance and in 1984, he won the Entrepreneur of the Year award from The WhartonSchool. Involved in numerous civic and charitable organizations, he is a member of theBoard of Directors for the Police Athletic League. Mr. Trump also serves as a Chairman ofthe Donald J. Trump Foundation as well as Co-Chairman of the New York VietnamVeteran's Memorial Fund. In 1995, he served as the Grand Marshal of the largest paradeever held in New York, The Nation's Parade, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of theend of World War II. He also hosts the annual Red Cross Ball at his Mar-a-Lago Club inPalm Beach. In January of 2012, he received the American Cancer Society LifetimeAchievement Award. In April of 2015, Mr. Trump received the Commandant's LeadershipAward from the Marine Corps—Law Enforcement Foundation, given to him by GeneralJoseph F. Dunford, Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Mr. Trump is a founding member of both the Committee to Complete Constructionof the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and The Wharton School Real Estate Center. Mr.Trump was also a committee member of the Celebration of Nations commemorating the50th anniversary of the United Nations and UNICEF. He was also designated TheDeveloper of the Year by the Construction Management Association of America andMaster Builder by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreational & HistoricPreservation. In June 2000, Mr. Trump received his greatest honor of all, the Hotel andReal Estate Visionary of the Century, given by the UJA Federation, and in 2003 was namedto the Benefactors Board of Directors by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County. In2007, he was awarded the Green Space Award by the friends of Westchester CountyParks, as he donated 436 acres of land in Westchester, New York, to create the Donald J.Trump State Park.
By January of 2004, Mr. Trump had joined forces with Mark Burnett Productionsand NBC to produce and star in the television reality show, The Apprentice. This quicklybecame the number one show on television, making ratings history and receiving ravereviews. The first season finale had the highest ratings on television that year after theSuperbowl, with 41.5 million people watching. Few shows have garnered the worldwideattention that The Apprentice has achieved, including three Emmy nominations. In 2007, aNew York Times article quoted NBC's President, Ben Silverman, as saying The Apprenticehas been the most successful reality series ever on NBC. The Celebrity Apprentice hasmet with great success as well, being one of the highest rated shows on television, and Mr.Trump signed to continue in this role for the 2015-2016 television season. This will markthe fifteenth season of the show. In 2005, he hosted Saturday Night Live which resulted intheir highest ratings of the year. Moreover, Mr. Trump is producing additional networkand cable television programming via his Los Angeles based production company, TrumpProductions LLC. His radio program with Clear Channel Radio, parent company ofPremiere Radio Networks, beginning in the summer of 2004, was a wonderful success.
In 2005, Mr. Trump launched his Donald J. Trump Signature Collection, whichincludes tailored clothing, dress shirts, ties, cufflinks, eyewear, leather goods, and belts.The ties are a top selling brand at Macy's Herald Square, New York, highlighting theconsumer demand to emulate Mr. Trump's business style. Trump Home was laterintroduced and includes furniture, mattresses, bedding, lighting, home décor, bath textilesand accessories. The mattress is the #1 selling brand at Serta. In 2012, Mr. Trumppartnered with Parlux to launch his fragrance, Success by Trump. Because of its success,his second fragrance, Empire, was launched in 2015.
In the August 21-28 2006 issue of BusinessWeek magazine, Mr. Trump was voted,by their readers, as the world's most competitive businessperson and voted by the staffand writers of BusinessWeek as one of the Top 10 most competitive businesspeople in theworld. The ongoing business success of the Trump Organization was recognized by theCrain's New York Business List 2012, with a ranking of Number 1 for the largest privatelyheld company in New York. Also renowned for his celebrity status, Forbes ranks Mr.Trump number 14 in the world on their top 100 celebrity list in 2012. Mr. Trump is one ofonly two people (the other being Hillary Clinton) named to ABC's Barbara Walter'sSpecial, The Most Fascinating People two times, most recently on her 2011 show.
In 2011, after failed attempts by both Senator McCain and Hillary Clinton, Mr.Trump single handedly forced President Obama to release his birth certificate, which waslauded by large segments of the political community. In 2012, Mr. Trump was votedStatesman of the Year by the Sarasota Republican Party.
Mr. Trump is one of the highest paid speakers in the world, often drawing tens ofthousands of people. In September of 2011, Mr. Trump gave a two city speech in Australia,for over 3 million dollars. In October of 2012, Mr. Trump spoke in London, England, at theNational Achievers Congress. In January of 2007, Mr. Trump received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2008, You're fired! was listed as the #3 greatest TV catchphrase of all time, led only by Here's Johnnny and One small step for man… InMarch of 2013, Mr. Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in front of 25,000fans at Madison Square Garden. The reasons for this great honor were that he held two ofthe most successful WrestleMania events ever -- but of even greater importance, he andVince McMahon were involved in the WrestleMania 23 Battle of the Billionaires in 2007in Detroit Stadium, which to this day is the highest rated show and the highest dollaramount on Pay Per View in the history of wrestling. In April of 2013, the New YorkObserver named Mr. Trump as #1 in its Power 100 Readers Poll. Also in April of 2013, Mr.Trump spoke at the annual Lincoln dinner in Michigan, which was the largest Lincolndinner in their 124 year history and the largest Lincoln event in our country's historywhere a U.S. President was not the speaker. In 2013, Mr. Trump received the T. BoonePickens Award from The American Spectator at the Robert L. Bartley Gala. The highlyrespected writer, Joe Queenan, after hearing Mr. Trump speak at a Learning Annex eventin 2006, notes that the $30 million he was paid for his appearances may have been anunderpayment.
On the Larry King Show in June 2008, Barbara Corcoran, a well respected realestate expert, said How can I possibly compete with Donald Trump? Thanks to him I soldmore property in Manhattan. He single handedly turned the whole image of Manhattanaround in the 1980's when nobody wanted to live in New York. Robert Kiyosaki, authorof Rich Dad, Poor Dad, added, Donald is the smartest man in real estate—no one else evencomes close. In an article in the New York Times in November of 2013, ArthurZeckendorf, a NYC developer of ultra luxury condominiums, was asked who mostinfluenced him in the industry: I think Donald Trump. He basically started the high-endcondo business. I certainly followed him, admired him. When asked specifically what helearned: That building great condos is an art, and you really have to make the product thebest out there.
In July of 2008, Mr. Trump sold an estate that he purchased (a short time earlier)for $40 million at 515 South Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach for a record setting price of$100 million, and in March of 2010, the penthouse apartment at Trump International Hotel& Tower in New York City sold for $33 million. In May of 2011, Mr. Trump purchased theKluge Estate and Vineyard in Charlottesville, VA, now the Trump Vineyard Estates. It isthe largest vineyard on the East Coast.
In February of 2012, Mr. Trump purchased the iconic 800 acre Doral Hotel &Country Club in Miami which includes five championship golf courses, the worldrenownedBlue Monster championship golf course, a 50,000 square foot spa and a 700room hotel. It is the home to the Cadillac World Championship of Golf. In April of 2012,Mr. Trump purchased the Point Lake & Golf Club in North Carolina which has becomeTrump National Golf Club, Charlotte, and in December 2012 he purchased the RitzCarlton Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida, which is now Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter. InApril of 2013, Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, was announced, and The TrumpEstates, which includes more than 100 luxury villas overlooking the golf course, werereleased for sale in March of 2014. Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, New York City, opened to the public in Spring of 2015. As Jack Nicklaus said, Trump has been very, very good with getting things done with the city. I think he pushed it over the edge. He did areally good job of getting it to the finish line. The club was under construction for severaldecades, with tens of millions in taxpayer money being wasted. When Mr. Trump gotinvolved it was completed in one year, and designed by Jack Nicklaus. All are destined tobecome great additions to a burgeoning golf course and club portfolio.
In February of 2014, Mr. Trump announced that he had purchased the DoonbegGolf Resort in Ireland, which will become Trump International Golf Links, Ireland. This450 acre property was originally designed by the legendary golfer Greg Norman, andfronts the Atlantic Ocean in County Clare. It is now being totally redeveloped by Mr.Trump. In April of 2014, Mr. Trump purchased the famed Turnberry Resort in Scotland,home of the Open Championship. Located on over 800 acres, and with views of the IrishSea and Isle of Arran, many consider the Championship Course to be #1 in the world. Inaddition, in April of 2014, the PGA of America announced that the 2022 PGAChampionship would be hosted by Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster and that the2017 Senior PGA Championship would be held at Trump National Golf Club, Washington,D.C. It was announced in October of 2014 that the Trump World Golf Club Dubai, an 18hole championship course, will be designed by Tiger Woods.
Mr. Trump has recently been recognized by Golf Digest Magazine as Golf'sGreatest Builder Today and by Sports Illustrated as The Most Important Figure in theWorld of Golf. Brian Morgan, the leading golf photographer, has stated, Donald Trumphas the greatest collection of golf courses and clubs ever built or assembled by one man.