Connect with us

Politics

Debunking the ‘Failed Businessman’ Myth: Trump’s Winning Record in Business

Published

1 month ago

on

Donald J. Trump, Businessman. Photo courtesy of Michael Vadon via Flickr.

Critics across media and social platforms have repeatedly characterized Donald Trump as a “terrible businessman,” pointing to bankruptcies, failed ventures, and claims that his wealth is merely inherited rather than earned. These criticisms ignore the broader context of entrepreneurial business ventures and the substantial documented successes in Trump’s decades-long career. While no business career is without setbacks, the factual record demonstrates significant achievements which far outweigh his business failure. As of recent estimates, Trump’s net worth ranges from $5.1 to $7.08 billion, according to Forbes and Bloomberg.

Trump’s first major success came in the 1970s with the renovation of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, transforming the deteriorating Commodore Hotel into a profitable Manhattan landmark. The project established his reputation for identifying undervalued assets and executing high-impact renovations. His redevelopment of 40 Wall Street is especially notable: purchased for $1 million in 1995, renovated for $35 million, and now valued at over $500 million, a 50x return.

Trump Tower, completed in 1983, became his headquarters and remains a core asset. Trump Place, a massive Hudson River development with 18 buildings, 5,700 apartments, and 25 acres of open space, demonstrated his ability to execute large-scale projects. Trump International Tower Chicago was named North America’s best large city hotel in 2010. Beyond real estate, Trump succeeded across multiple sectors. He achieved a 90% success rate in stock investments, profiting from 40 of 45 trades before selling his portfolio in 2014. In 2011, Forbes valued the Trump brand at $200 million and his licensing business at $562 million, then described as his most valuable segment.

Today, 33 licensing projects and 20 branded developments are underway across nine countries, generating revenue without capital investment. He also owns 18 championship golf properties, described as “the greatest golf portfolio ever assembled by one man.” Trump further expanded his reach through media, earning $1 million per episode of The Apprentice, with total income from the show reaching $197.3 million between 2000 and 2018. His 1987 bestseller The Art of the Deal cemented his reputation as a national business figure.

While six Trump-linked companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy between 1991 and 2009, these represent a small percentage of his total ventures and were all corporate bankruptcies, not personal. Each was a strategic restructuring aimed at avoiding liquidation while allowing continued operations and partial repayment of creditors. For example, the Trump Taj Mahal restructured $3 billion in debt in 1991; Trump gave up 50% ownership to bondholders, and the casino remained in operation. Trump Castle (1992) and the Trump Plaza Hotel (1992) both continued operating after Trump ceded equity stakes. In 2004, Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts filed with $1.8 billion in debt and emerged as Trump Entertainment Resorts. In each case, Chapter 11 was used as a legal tool to reorganize, not shut down, reflecting prudent corporate strategy rather than a financial failure.

Many commonly cited “failures” were actually licensing deals rather than Trump-operated businesses. Trump Steaks, sold through The Sharper Image in 2007, was a licensing deal where Trump was paid for his name usage without operational involvement or financial loss when discontinued. Trump Vodka, launched in 2006 by Drinks Americas as a branding deal, saw Trump profit from the licensing arrangement despite being discontinued in the U.S. Trump: The Game (1989), a board game by Milton Bradley that flopped commercially, earned Trump royalties as a licensing deal. Trump Magazine was a failed publication where Trump lent his brand but was not the publisher. GoTrump.com, a travel booking site operated in partnership with Travelocity, had no financial impact on Trump beyond lost branding potential when it closed.

In these licensing arrangements, Trump profited through fees regardless of the product’s commercial success, demonstrating the distinction between brand association and executive control. During 2000-2018, while Trump businesses had $174.5 million in losses, this was more than offset by income from licensing deals ($230 million) and television ($197.3 million), resulting in net positive returns. While Trump was more directly involved in promoting Trump University, the lawsuits and eventual $25 million settlement were civil, not criminal, and he was not found guilty of wrongdoing.

Claims that Donald Trump received extraordinary financial support from his father are inaccurate. The New York Times’ characterization of $60+ million in loans from Fred Trump as unusual misrepresents standard real estate development practices. In this industry, borrowing hundreds of millions from multiple sources, including banks, private lenders, and family members, is common. These were not gifts, but business loans typical of leveraged real estate deals. The loans critics cite were revolving credit facilities, standard tools used by real estate developers to finance large projects. Like any real estate mogul, Trump operated within this model as part of normal business operations.

When Fred Trump died in 1999, his estate was estimated by the family at $250 million to $300 million, according to The New York Times, while the New York Daily News reported a range of $100 million to $300 million. Despite speculation by The New York Times, there has never been any evidence that Donald received anything from his father’s estate.

While Trump’s business career includes both successes and failures, typical of any entrepreneur taking significant risks, the documented record contradicts claims that he is a “terrible businessman.” Over five decades, he has demonstrated substantial wealth creation, successful developments, and profitable ventures across multiple industries.

The post Debunking the ‘Failed Businessman’ Myth: Trump’s Winning Record in Business appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Politics

GOP Senator John Thune Quietly BLOCKS Trump Recess Appointments with Sneaky Procedural Maneuver — Launches Series of Pro Forma Sessions to Keep Senate in Fake “Session” During August Recess

Published

13 hours ago

on

August 3, 2025

By

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R‑SD) has unveiled a procedural scheme to block President Donald Trump from making any critical appointments during the August recess, effectively aiding the Democrats’ obstructionist agenda.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the president can make “recess appointments,” temporary appointments to federal positions, if the Senate is in recess and not conducting business. These appointments don’t require immediate Senate confirmation and can last until the end of the next session of Congress.

But there’s a loophole: if the Senate holds pro forma sessions, very short, symbolic meetings where no actual business is conducted, then technically, the Senate is still in session. That means the president cannot legally make recess appointments during that time.

John Thune has quietly secured unanimous‑consent for a paper‑thin Senate schedule through the Trump appointee confirmation deadline, ensuring only pro forma sessions on five key dates in early August.

Under the agreement, the chamber will adjourn after today’s business and reconvene without conducting any votes or business on:

  • Tue, Aug 5 – 1:00 p.m.
  • Fri, Aug 8 – 1:05 p.m.
  • Tue, Aug 12 – 8:00 a.m.
  • Fri, Aug 15 – 10:15 a.m.
  • Tue, Aug 19 – 10:00 a.m.
  • Fri, Aug 22 – 9:00 a.m.
  • Tue, Aug 26 – 12:00 p.m.
  • Fri, Aug 29 – 7:00 a.m.

WATCH:

Thune’s pro forma blueprint comes amid mounting pressure from Donald Trump, who has demanded the Senate remain open until all 150+ administration nominees are confirmed.

Under the Recess Appointments Clause, a president may only install nominees without Senate approval if both chambers are in formal recess for at least 10 days. By convening the Senate just long enough every few days, Thune blocks the possibility of Trump making unilateral appointees.

The Senate went into its August recess without confirming all of Trump’s pending judicial and district‑level appointments.

By the time lawmakers left town on Saturday evening, no deal had been reached to move dozens of Trump’s nominees, including U.S. district court picks, through final floor votes.

Only a small handful of nominees (such as Jeanine Pirro to be U.S. Attorney in D.C.) had advanced. Otherwise, nominees remained stalled in committees or waiting for cloture roll‑calls on the executive calendar.

Roughly 150–160 executive and judicial nominations, including over a dozen district court judges and U.S. attorney nominations, remained scheduled but unconfirmed.

The post GOP Senator John Thune Quietly BLOCKS Trump Recess Appointments with Sneaky Procedural Maneuver — Launches Series of Pro Forma Sessions to Keep Senate in Fake “Session” During August Recess appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Continue Reading

Politics

‘That’s What I Call Results!’: Trump Admin Saves Jobs, Kicks 1500 Non-English-Speaking Truckers Off the Road

Published

13 hours ago

on

August 3, 2025

By

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed that there have been about 1,500 truck drivers who do not speak English taken off the roads as part of a push to ensure foreign truck drivers are not causing accidents.

Back in 2016, the Obama administration stopped enforcing English proficiency requirements for truckers, according to a report from The Daily Signal.

But in May, Duffy issued a guidance making clear that truck drivers who cannot demonstrate a proficiency in English cannot drive.

The 1,500 drivers were taken off the roads within the first 3o days of the rules once more being enforced, according to The Daily Signal.

“Since I took action to enforce language proficiency requirements for truckers, our state partners have put roughly 1,500 unqualified drivers out of service. That’s what I call results!” Duffy posted on X.

“If you can’t read or speak our national language — ENGLISH — we won’t let your truck endanger the driving public.”

He added, “America First = Safety First.”

Duffy’s concerns were far from unfounded.

In January, there was a truck driver involved in a fatal crash that had to use a language interpreter for the post-crash investigation, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Another incident from 2019 involved a truck driver who could not proficiently speak English speeding through signs that warned of steep grades and dangerous curves, all at more than 100 miles per hour.

Four people died in that crash, per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

President Donald Trump had likewise insisted with an April executive order that the move centered on public safety.

“They should be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with traffic safety, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station officers,” the order said of truck drivers.

They also “need to provide feedback to their employers and customers and receive related directions in English,” a position the order called “common sense.”

“It is the policy of my Administration to support America’s truckers and safeguard our roadways by enforcing the commonsense English-language requirement for commercial motor vehicle drivers and removing needless regulatory burdens that undermine the working conditions of America’s truck drivers,” the notice added.

“This order will help ensure a safe, secure, and efficient motor carrier industry.”

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post ‘That’s What I Call Results!’: Trump Admin Saves Jobs, Kicks 1500 Non-English-Speaking Truckers Off the Road appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Continue Reading

Politics

Slovenia Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel, Citing Gaza Conflict

Published

13 hours ago

on

August 3, 2025

By

via Wikimedia Commons

Slovenia has imposed an arms embargo on Israel, banning the export, import, and transit of weapons to and from the country.

This decision was announced by Prime Minister Robert Golob following a government session on July 31, 2025.

Slovenia claims to be the first European Union member to take such a step, citing the EU’s inability to act due to internal disagreements.

The government stated that no permits for military exports to Israel have been issued since October 2023, when the conflict in Gaza began.

Officials emphasized that the embargo is an independent measure to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Slovenia has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and increased aid deliveries to the region.

In early July 2025, Slovenia declared two Israeli ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, persona non grata, barring them from entry.

This action was based on their public statements regarding the conflict. Earlier, in June 2024, Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood, joining countries like Ireland, Norway, and Spain in this move.

The conflict in Gaza started after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israeli territory, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the taking of hostages.

Israel responded with a military operation aimed at dismantling Hamas infrastructure. Reports from Gaza’s health ministry indicate significant casualties, with ongoing international efforts to negotiate truces and provide aid.

Several other nations have taken similar diplomatic steps, including France, Britain, and Canada announcing potential recognition of a Palestinian state. Australia has also indicated that recognizing Palestinian statehood is under consideration.

Israel has criticized these declarations, arguing they could reward Hamas for its actions.

Israeli officials dismissed Slovenia’s embargo as insignificant, noting that Israel does not procure any defense materials from Slovenia.

An unnamed official stated that the country buys nothing from Slovenia, not even minor items.

Within the EU, there is growing pressure for measures against Israel, with Sweden and the Netherlands advocating for suspending parts of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

The European Commission has proposed limiting Israel’s participation in the Horizon research program, though Germany opposes such steps.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed concerns about Israel’s potential diplomatic isolation during a visit to Jerusalem.

The United States remains a key ally to Israel, with President Donald Trump warning that recognizing Palestinian statehood might benefit Hamas.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance Gaza truce talks. These efforts aim to address the humanitarian crisis and secure a ceasefire.

The post Slovenia Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel, Citing Gaza Conflict appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Continue Reading

Trending