It is a story about business ambition, reinvention, fame, political disruption, controversy, elections, presidential power, defeat, comeback, and an unusually enduring relationship with the American public.
From Queens to Manhattan
Donald John Trump was born in Queens, New York, in 1946.
His father, Fred Trump, was a successful real-estate developer who had built a substantial business primarily through residential properties in New York City’s outer boroughs.
Growing up in that environment gave Trump an early introduction to property development and the mechanics of business.
But Trump eventually wanted something larger.
Rather than simply continuing his father’s established focus on middle-class housing in the boroughs, he became increasingly interested in Manhattan.
At the time, Manhattan represented something more than another real-estate market.
It was a global symbol of wealth, entertainment, luxury, finance, and influence.
Trump understood the value of associating his name with that world.
His career increasingly moved toward major developments, hotels, office buildings, and high-profile projects.
