Donald Trump history

 **Donald Trump: A Brief History**

**Early Life and Background:**

Donald John Trump was born on June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York City, to Fred Trump, a prominent real estate developer, and Mary MacLeod Trump, a Scottish immigrant. Growing up in a wealthy family, Trump attended New York Military Academy, where he developed a reputation as a tough, ambitious young man. He later attended Fordham University and then transferred to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a degree in economics in 1968.

**Business Career:**

Trump’s entry into the business world began after he joined his father’s company, which was primarily involved in building affordable housing in Queens and Brooklyn. He later took control of the company, renaming it The Trump Organization, and began focusing on more high-profile real estate projects. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Trump expanded his business empire, making deals to build Trump Tower in Manhattan and acquire other key properties like hotels, casinos, and golf courses.

Trump’s business career was marked by both incredible successes and significant setbacks. While he became a celebrity businessman, his ventures in the 1990s faced financial troubles, including bankruptcies in his casinos. Despite these challenges, Trump managed to rebuild his fortune, using his personal brand to continue expanding his real estate, branding, and entertainment endeavors.

**Media and Celebrity Status:**

In the early 2000s, Trump gained widespread fame beyond business through his reality TV show *The Apprentice*, which aired from 2004 to 2015. The show featured aspiring entrepreneurs competing for a job within Trump's organization, and his catchphrase “You’re fired!” became iconic. His television success significantly boosted his public profile and further entrenched his image as a savvy businessman.

**Political Career:**

Trump had expressed political ambitions for years before actually running for office. He briefly considered running for president in 2000 under the Reform Party but did not follow through. In 2015, after years of speculation, Trump announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States as a Republican. His campaign was unconventional, filled with populist rhetoric, provocative statements, and a focus on issues like immigration, trade, and "draining the swamp" of Washington corruption.

Trump’s 2016 campaign was initially seen as a joke by many in the media, but he quickly gained traction among voters with his bold promises to bring change to Washington, his tough stance on illegal immigration, and his focus on putting "America First." His rival in the Republican primary, Jeb Bush, and other establishment candidates were unable to defeat him. He won the Republican nomination and, in a stunning upset, defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the general election.

**Presidency (2017–2021):**

Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States on January 20, 2017. His presidency was highly controversial, with polarizing policies and rhetoric that split the nation. Some of the key aspects of his presidency included:

- **Immigration**: Trump made building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border a key campaign promise. His administration enacted policies that severely restricted immigration, including a controversial travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries and a crackdown on illegal immigration.

  

- **Tax Cuts and Economic Policies**: In 2017, Trump signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which lowered corporate taxes and provided tax cuts for individuals, particularly benefiting the wealthiest Americans. He touted the law as a major victory for economic growth.

  

- **Foreign Policy**: Trump pursued an “America First” approach to foreign policy, withdrawing the U.S. from international agreements like the Paris Climate Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal. He also imposed tariffs on China, initiating a trade war, while simultaneously engaging in diplomacy with North Korea, making an unprecedented meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

- **Impeachment**: In 2019, Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to his dealings with Ukraine, but he was acquitted by the Senate in early 2020.

- **COVID-19 Pandemic**: The global pandemic was a defining issue of the final year of Trump’s presidency. His administration’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis received widespread criticism, with many accusing him of downplaying the virus and failing to act quickly enough to mitigate its spread.

**2020 Election and Aftermath:**

Trump ran for re-election in 2020, facing former Vice President Joe Biden. Despite winning the majority of electoral votes in several battleground states, Trump lost the election to Biden. However, Trump and many of his supporters refused to accept the results, claiming widespread voter fraud. These claims were widely debunked, but they fueled the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the election results.

In the aftermath of the riot, Trump was impeached a second time by the House of Representatives on charges of incitement of insurrection, though he was acquitted once again by the Senate.

**Post-Presidency and Legacy:**

Since leaving office, Trump has continued to hold significant influence over the Republican Party. His political future remains uncertain, but he has suggested the possibility of running for president again in 2024. His time in office and his legacy continue to spark intense debate, with supporters praising his economic policies, deregulation efforts, and foreign policy stance, while critics condemn his divisive rhetoric, handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and actions surrounding the 2020 election.

Donald Trump’s life and career have been marked by controversy, celebrity, and political revolution, making him one of the most influential and polarizing figures in modern American history.