Donald John Trump is the 45th and current President of the United States, in office since January 20, 2017. Before entering politics, he was a businessman and television personality.
Trump was born in the New York City borough of Queens. He earned an economics degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. A third-generation businessman, Trump followed in the footsteps of his grandmother Elizabeth and father Fred in running the family real estate company. He served as chairman and president of The Trump Organization from 1971 until his inauguration as president in January 2017, when he delegated company management to his sons Donald Jr. and Eric. Trump's business career primarily focused on building or renovating office towers, hotels, casinos, and golf courses.
Trump also started several side ventures and branded various products with his name. He is credited as having written or co-written several books , and produced and hosted The Apprentice television series for 12 years. As of 2017, he was the 544th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $3.5 billion.
Trump had long expressed interest in politics. He entered the 2016 presidential race as a Republican and defeated sixteen opponents in the primaries. Commentators described his political positions as populist, protectionist, and nationalist. His campaign received extensive free media coverage; many of his public statements were controversial or false. Trump won the general election on November 8, 2016, in a surprise victory against Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. He became the oldest and wealthiest person ever to assume the presidency, the first without prior military or government service, and the fifth to have won the election despite losing the popular vote. His election and policies have sparked numerous protests.
In domestic policy, Trump has unsuccessfully attempted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. He appointed Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. He ordered a travel ban on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries, citing security concerns; the ban was partially implemented after several legal challenges. In foreign policy, he withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris Climate Agreement, undid parts of the Cuban Thaw, and ordered missile strikes in Syria in response to the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack. After Trump dismissed FBI Director James Comey, the Justice Department appointed Comey's predecessor Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russia's interference in the presidential election, potential links between Russia and Trump campaign associates, and any related matters.
“Somebody said I’m the Ernest Hemingway of 140 characters.”
Quoted by * 2015-11-20
Trump says he’s the Hemingway of Twitter
The Hill
Bradford Richardson
https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-primaries/260949-trump-says-hes-the-hemingway-of-twitter
2010s, 2015
“To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.”
Tweet https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1347569870578266115 January 8 2021
2020s, 2021, January 2021
via a Twitter video (2;28) https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/1347339437617815552 posted January 7, 2020
2020s, 2021, January 2021
Said in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzner, as quoted by * Trump in '04: 'I probably identify more as Democrat'
CNN
Chris Moody
https://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/21/politics/donald-trump-election-democrat/index.html
2000s, 2004
“I was honored five years ago, ‘man of the year’ in Michigan.”
2020-05-22
Trump’s Dubious Michigan ‘Man of the Year’ Boast
Robert Farley
FactCheck.org
https://www.factcheck.org/2019/08/trumps-dubious-michigan-man-of-the-year-boast/
2020, May 2020
Address to UN General Assembly, quoted in * 2018-09-26
Trump's U.N. speech pitting globalism against patriotism proves the president has no idea what patriotism means
Daniel Shapiro
NBC News
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-s-u-n-speech-pitting-globalism-against-patriotism-proves-ncna913141
2018, September 2018
Remarks by President Trump at the 2017 Values Voter Summit https://www.palmerreport.com/opinion/random-words-donald-trump/5573/ (13 October 2017)
2017, October 2017
2016, September 2016, First presidential debate (September 26, 2016)
Council Bluffs, Iowa, quoted in * 2016-09-29
Donald Trump's Bizarre Speech: 'You Are The Smartest People'
Leading Britain's Conversation
https://www.lbc.co.uk/politics/us-election/donald-trump/donald-trumps-bizarre-speech-smartest-people/
2016, September 2016
Quoted by [Three years ago today: Trump promised “I will always tell you the truth”, Jon, Perr, August 18, 2019, January 16, 2021, Daily Kos, https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/8/18/1879762/-Three-years-ago-today-Trump-promised-I-will-always-tell-you-the-truth]).
2016, August 2016
These are foolish people.
Google's Eric Schmidt calls for 'spell-checkers for hate and harassment' https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/08/googles-eric-schmidt-spell-checkers-hate-harassment-terrorism, 8 December 2015, by Alex Hern.
2015
Wednesday 17 June 2020 interview in the Oval Office according to 19 June 2020 article https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-talks-juneteenth-john-bolton-economy-in-wsj-interview-11592493771 by Michael Bender of Wall Street Journal, highlighted 21 June 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/20/donald-trump-tulsa-rally-crowd-empty-seats by Richard Wolffe of The Guardian
2020, June 2020
2020-05-28
Donald Trump just used a ridiculous comparison to justify his social media crackdown
Chris Cillizza
CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/28/politics/donald-trump-twitter-facebook-social-media-executive-order/index.html
2020, May 2020
“Could you imagine if I said that "I short circuited?"”
They would be calling for my execution, — electric chair. They'd bring back the electric chair. It would be a whole different ball game if I said it, believe me.
2016, August 2016, Speech at rally in Wilmington, North Carolina (August 9, 2016)
15 July 2021 on DonaldJTrump.com https://web.archive.org/web/20210715183933/https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/statement-by-donald-j-trump-45th-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-07.15.21-06
2021, July 2021
“I’m a very compassionate person (with a very high IQ) with strong common sense.”
" Donald Trump's IQ obsession, in 22 quotes https://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/10/politics/donald-trump-tillerson-iq/index.html" (April 21, 2021)
2013
“We will be back in some form”
Quoted by * 2020-01-20
Kevin Liptak
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/donald-trump-leaves-white-house/index.html
Trump departs Washington a pariah as his era in power ends
CNN
2021, January 2021
“My administration will never stop fighting for Americans of faith”
At a rally for evangelicals earlier in 2020 according to Trump Secretly Mocks His Christian Supporters https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-secretly-mocks-his-christian-supporters/616522/ September 29, 2020
2020
“We love you. You are very special.”
In a video in a tweet (later deleted) aimed at protestors who entered into the United States Capitol. Quoted by * 2020-01-06
Eliza Relman, Oma Seddiq, Jake Lahut
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-video-statement-capitol-rioters-we-love-you-very-special-2021-1?r=US&IR=T
Trump tells his violent supporters who stormed the Capitol 'you're very special,' but asks them 'to go home'
Business Insider
2021, January 2021
“It's not over. We keep going and we're going to continue to go forward.”
Quoted by * 2020-12-12
Trump tells 'Fox & Friends' election challenges 'not over' ahead of Electoral College vote
Ronn Blitzner
Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-fox-and-friends-election-challenges-not-over-electoral-college-vote
2020, December 2020
“We don't have freedom of the press in this country, we have suppression of the press”
In a phone interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News November 29, 2020
2020, November 2020
“We’re rounding the turn,our numbers are incredible.”
at a rally on October 26, 2020 according to 89,000 new Covid-19 cases per day. And the worst may be yet to come. https://www.vox.com/21541967/covid-19-record-cases-us-coronavirus-winter-spike-surge
2020, October 2020
“We won’t have a president that threatens people with jail for just criticizing him”
On the campaign trail for Joe Biden in [ Obama Hits Campaign Trail In South Florida, Criticizing Trump's Behavior As Worse Than Florida Man https://www.wlrn.org/2020-10-25/obama-hits-campaign-trail-in-south-florida-criticizing-trumps-behavior-as-worse-than-florida-man October 25, 2020
2020, October 2020
“If I didn’t have social media, I’d have no way of getting out my voice.”
2020-10-26
CBS releases footage of Trump walking out of 60 Minutes interview
Martin Melam
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/26/cbs-releases-footage-trump-walking-out-60-minutes-interview
2020, October 2020
Said on October 23, 2020 According to Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace https://www.foxnews.com/shows/fox-news-sunday
2020, October 2020
“I'm not going to do a virtual debate. I’m not going to waste my time at a virtual debate.”
Trump commented on the initiative of having the presidential candidates participating from remote locations for the second presidential debate, in view of his Covid-19 infection, as quoted by * 2020-10-08
Trump says he will 'not waste my time' with a 'virtual debate' after CPD announces changes
Brooke Singman
Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/second-trump-biden-debate-will-be-virtual-organizers-say
2020, October 2020
“We're way ahead on the nuclear front. We've upgraded our nuclear.”
2020, September 2020
“Nobody knew the seniors are susceptible”
Claimed about the coronavirus, as quoted in * 2020-09-16
Fact check: Trump made at least 22 false or misleading claims at ABC town hall
Daniel Dale
CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/16/politics/fact-check-trump-abc-town-hall/index.html
2020, September 2020
“I'm also honored to have the greatest temperament that anybody has.”
Quoted by * Sam Stein
2016-11-03
Donald Trump Is Honored To Have The Greatest Temperament, Donald Trump Says
Huffington Post
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-temperament_n_581b75d3e4b0b8e11a135eac
2016, November 2016
“When I took over we didn't even have a test.”
Trump pointed out that in 2017, there was no test for the coronavirus that emerged in 2019, as quoted by * Steve Benen
2020-08-03
Trump points to imagined 'manuals' to argue against virus tests
MSNBC
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-points-imagined-manuals-argue-against-virus-tests-n1235815
2020, August 2020
“If it reached my desk I would have done something about it.”
Trump was commenting on a U.S. intelligence assessment that Russia was paying a bounty to militants in Afghanistan to kill Americans there, as quoted by * 2020-07-28
AP FACT CHECK: Trump hype on drug costs, hydroxychloroquine
Hope Yen and Calvin Woodward
Star Tribune
https://www.startribune.com/ap-fact-check-trump-hype-on-drug-costs-hydroxychloroquine/571989352/
2020, July 2020
2015-08-09
12 times Donald Trump declared his 'respect' for women
Gregoy Krieg
CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/07/politics/donald-trump-respect-women/index.html
2015
“we have done an incredible job, everything is under control”
referring to the United states handling of the Covid Pandemic
interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaaTZkqsaxY by w:Jonathan Swan of Axios on w:HBO
2020, August 2020
As quoted by * 2020-07-19
Trump pushes back against critics on coronavirus, addresses whether he will accept election results in exclusive interview
Ronn Blitzer
Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-pushes-back-against-critics-on-coronavirus-addresses-whether-he-will-accept-election-results-in-exclusive-interview
2020, July 2020
“You don't have to be too careful.”
Trump ordering US governors on how to react against people protesting against police violence following the death of George Floyd, as quoted by * 2020-06-01
An agitated Trump encourages governors to use aggressive tactics on protesters
Kevin Liptak, Ryan Nobles, Sarah Westwood
CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/politics/donald-trump-race-police/index.html
2020, June 2020
“Everybody calls me Mr. President. It's true. It's a funny thing.”
Quoted by * 2019-07-17
Analysis: The 51 most outrageous lines from Donald Trump's NC rally
Chris Cillizza
WLOS.com
https://wlos.com/news/local/analysis-the-51-most-outrageous-lines-from-donald-trumps-nc-rally
2019, July 2019
“I think my rhetoric is a very – it brings people together.”
Quoted by * 2019-08-07
While slamming critics, Trump says his words ‘bring people together’
Steve Benen
MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/while-slamming-critics-trump-says-his-words-bring-people-together
2019, August 2019
“Leadership: whatever happens, you're responsible. If it doesn't happen, you're responsible.”
Tweet (8 November 2013) https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/398887965302091776
2013
“What you're seeing and what you're reading is not what's happening”
Quoted by * 2018-07-24
'What You're Seeing... Is Not What's Happening.' People Are Comparing This Trump Quote to George Orwell
Mahita Gajanan
Time
https://time.com/5347737/trump-quote-george-orwell-vfw-speech/
2018, July 2018
2019-01-05
Trump to Ocasio-Cortez: 'America will never be a socialist country'
Joel Gehrke
Washington Examiner
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/trump-to-ocasio-cortez-america-will-never-be-a-socialist-country
2019, January 2019
“Something I planned long ago but had the idea yesterday.”
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1145218160720842752
Donald Trump on social media, Twitter
“I will be phenomenal to the women. I mean, I want to help women.”
Face the Nation, 9/8/15
2015
