Fred Trump

Frederick Christ Trump Sr.
Born	Template:Birth date Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Died	June 25, 1999(1999-06-25) (aged 93)
Occupation(s)	Real-estate developer, entrepreneur
Known for	Founder of the Trump Organization; father of Donald Trump

Frederick Christ Trump Sr. (October 11, 1905 – June 25, 1999) was a prominent American real-estate developer and entrepreneur, recognized primarily as the father of Donald Trump, who served as the 45th and 47th president of the United States.

Born in the Bronx to parents who immigrated from Germany, Trump embarked on his career in home construction and property sales during the 1920s. He eventually took over the real estate enterprise initiated by his parents, which later became known as the Trump Organization. His firm was responsible for constructing and managing single-family homes in Queens, wartime housing along the East Coast during World War II, and more than 27,000 apartments throughout New York City. Trump was scrutinized for alleged profiteering by a U.S. Senate committee in 1954 and again by New York State authorities in 1966. The family business passed to Donald Trump in 1971; two years afterward, they faced a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division accusing them of racial discrimination against Black renters.

The New York Times reported that Fred and his wife, Mary, transferred wealth exceeding $1 billion (adjusted to 2018 dollars) to their offspring, thereby circumventing over $500 million in gift taxes. In 1992, Fred and Donald formed a subsidiary company designed to channel Fred’s assets to his heirs. Prior to his passing, Fred shifted most property ownership to his children, who subsequently sold these holdings at prices surpassing their declared values by more than sixteenfold.

In 1927, Trump was detained at a demonstration organized by the Ku Klux Klan, although no definitive proof connects him to endorsing the group. From the period of World War II onward, he distanced himself from his German roots to avoid any Nazi associations and actively supported Jewish causes. Between approximately 1935 and 1950, he sported a toothbrush mustache, which he abandoned once it became closely linked with Adolf Hitler.

Some fraternity members at the historically Jewish Sigma Alpha Mu have recounted that Fred Trump Jr. claimed his father was Jewish; psychoanalyst Justin A. Frank interpreted this as an act of rebellion against Fred Sr.’s alleged antisemitism. Additionally, Fred Jr.’s daughter, Mary L. Trump, characterized her grandfather as "quite anti-Semitic." During his presidency, Donald Trump repeatedly made false assertions that his father was born in Germany and reportedly used ethnic slurs related to his German ancestry.

Early life and career

Fred Trump's father, originally named Friedrich Trump and born in Germany, accumulated wealth during the Klondike Gold Rush by running a restaurant and brothel catering to miners. After returning to Kallstadt in 1901, he married Elizabeth Christ in 1902. The couple relocated to New York City, where their first child was born in 1904 before briefly moving back to Kallstadt. Although Fred was conceived in Bavaria, Friedrich was expelled for avoiding military conscription. His mother retained ownership of the business until he reached adulthood. By 1924, advertisements featured the company "E. Trump & Son", with reports indicating that Trump used an $800 loan from his mother to complete and sell his initial house. Nevertheless, official records indicate that construction activities did not commence until 1927 when the firm was incorporated with $50,000 capital. Trump asserted that by 1926 he had built nineteen homes in Hollis, Queens, funding projects partly through pre-sales. Investigative journalist Wayne Barrett has suggested that Trump overstated the duration of his early career during a federal court case concerning mortgage servicing rights in 1934.

In 1927, Trump was taken into custody at a demonstration held by the Ku Klux Klan, although no conclusive evidence has emerged linking him to support for the organization.

Path to prominence

In 1933, Trump launched one of New York City's earliest contemporary supermarkets, named Trump Market, located in Woodhaven, Queens, inspired by the Long Island-based King Kullen chain. The store's "Serve Yourself and Save!" approach rapidly attracted customers, and within half a year, Trump sold the business to King Kullen.

The following year, in 1934, Trump and a business associate purchased the mortgage-servicing division of Brooklyn's J. Lehrenkrauss Corporation after it declared bankruptcy. This acquisition granted Trump control over properties nearing foreclosure, enabling him to acquire them at reduced prices and resell for profit. These real estate dealings quickly positioned him as a notable figure in New York’s business community.

Trump utilized loan guarantees from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), established under the National Housing Act of 1934, which also facilitated discriminatory redlining practices. By 1936, he employed 400 workers constructing homes priced between $3,000 and $6,250. He implemented psychological pricing strategies by listing prices ending with "...9.99". In the late 1930s, Trump promoted his properties using a showboat near Coney Island featuring patriotic tunes and swordfish-shaped balloons redeemable for prizes. In 1938, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle referred to him as "the Henry Ford of the home building industry". By 1942, he had completed construction of 2,000 homes in Brooklyn funded by FHA programs.

During World War II, Trump initially intended to develop a major defense housing project in Bensonhurst near the Brooklyn Navy Yard but redirected efforts to Norfolk, Virginia following the U.S. entry into the war. Congressional approval of mortgage insurance for defense apartments allowed Trump to own wartime housing built for naval employees. By 1944, he had developed 1,360 defense apartments—accounting for nearly 10% of Norfolk’s total—and constructed barracks and garden apartments for Navy personnel near key shipyards in Norfolk, Newport News, and Chester, Pennsylvania.

Post-war, Trump expanded into housing aimed at middle-income veterans returning from service. Between 1947 and 1949, he built Shore Haven in Bensonhurst—a development consisting of 32 six-story buildings plus a shopping center—securing $9 million in FHA financing. In 1950, he created Beach Haven Apartments near Coney Island on a 40-acre site with $16 million in FHA loans. These initiatives totaled over 2,700 apartments. That same year, Trump authored real estate advertisements promoting his projects in the Brooklyn Eagle.

Years later, after engaging PR specialist Howard Rubenstein to shape a rags-to-riches narrative reminiscent of Horatio Alger tales, Fred Trump was honored with the Horatio Alger Award in 1985 recognizing distinguished Americans. Introduced by Art Linkletter and presented by Ruth Peale, Trump attributed his achievements to passion and learning from others’ successes and failures. He ended his address with a frequently misquoted Shakespearean phrase emphasizing prudence and introduced his surviving immediate family.

Additional ventures

In 1954, amid federal scrutiny concerning profiteering in real estate development, The New York Times identified Trump among 35 local builders accused of exploiting government contracts for excessive gains. He and partner William Tomasello—who had alleged mafia associations—held a 25% stake in Beach Haven Apartments. A U.S. Senate banking committee investigated them for windfall profits involving transactions such as purchasing land for $34,200 that was leased back to their company at $76,960 annually under a 99-year lease—potentially generating $1.924 million if the apartment complex defaulted. Loan amounts secured exceeded project costs by $3.5 million. Trump maintained that he did not personally profit and argued that escalating expenses could have resulted in losses under those conditions.

Between 1959 and 1961, Tomasello filed lawsuits against Trump regarding shareholder rights across several corporations connected to their joint endeavors.

In 1961, Trump contributed $2,500 toward New York Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr.’s re-election campaign, which aided approval for Trump Village, a $70 million apartment complex in Coney Island completed during 1963–64. This development was among Trump's largest undertakings and uniquely bore his name. Over his career span, Trump constructed more than 27,000 low-income apartments and row houses throughout Brooklyn and Queens.

In 1966, state investigators in New York examined Trump for alleged windfall profiteering after he reportedly inflated costs on a state-backed project and earned $598,000 through equipment rental profits during the construction of Trump Village. Trump denied any misconduct emphasizing the project’s early completion and cost savings achieved. The commission described him as "a pretty shrewd character" adept at maximizing profits but chose not to pursue charges; instead it recommended stricter oversight of state housing initiatives. Prior to Trump's deposition that year, communications took place between the deputy attorney general’s office and the FBI.

Steeplechase Park

On July 1, 1965, Trump acquired the recently shuttered Steeplechase Park at Coney Island for $2.3 million, intending to construct upscale residential buildings. The following year, he unveiled plans for a 160-foot enclosed dome that would house leisure amenities and a convention center. In a widely publicized event in September 1966, Trump tore down the Pavilion of Fun—a glass-enclosed amusement hall—inviting attendees to break the remaining glass panels, including the well-known "Funny Face" mascot.

Soon after, New York City revealed intentions to purchase the location for public recreational purposes. Trump engaged in legal disputes over rezoning issues and eventually received $1.3 million in compensation. The site remained unused for several years before Trump leased it to an operator of amusement rides. Over the subsequent decade, the city ultimately regained control of the property.

In July 2016, the Coney Island History Project marked the "50th Anniversary of Fred Trump's Demolition of Steeplechase Pavilion" with a dedicated exhibition.

Son becomes company president

Donald Trump began working in his father’s real estate enterprise around 1968, starting with projects in Brooklyn. That same year, Fred reportedly arranged a deferment from Vietnam War service for Donald by prioritizing maintenance work for a tenant who diagnosed Donald with bone spurs. By 1971, Donald assumed the role of company president while Fred served as chairman. Around 1973, Donald started referring to the business as "the Trump Organization." While Fred concentrated on properties in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, Donald focused exclusively on Manhattan, which he described as "all to myself." Fred commended Donald’s entrepreneurial insight and strategic thinking.

Some accounts suggest Fred orchestrated the expansion into Manhattan and played an active role in Donald’s initial ventures there. His granddaughter Mary L. Trump confirmed Fred's close involvement, and former vice president Louise Sunshine noted that Fred provided substantial financial support to Donald. Fred reportedly maintained a daily work routine until shortly before his hospitalization.

In the mid-1970s, Fred extended loans exceeding $14 million to Donald. During his 2015–16 presidential campaign, Donald claimed his father gave him "a small loan of a million dollars" to establish a company now valued at over $10 billion. However, a 2018 investigation by The New York Times revealed that Fred established 295 income streams benefiting Donald, who was already a millionaire at age eight and received $413 million (adjusted for inflation to 2023) from Fred’s holdings throughout his life. This included more than $60.7 million in largely unreimbursed loans. Notably, Fred contributed $2 million toward renovating the Grand Hyatt New York and provided additional credit lines and mortgages amounting to tens of millions.

According to Barbara Res, vice president of Trump construction, Fred employed unconventional methods such as seating guests on unsteady chairs and advised Donald to strategically position his office to counter rivals.

Federal civil rights lawsuit

Complaints arose when minority applicants were denied apartments in Trump-owned buildings, prompting investigations by the New York City Commission on Human Rights and the Urban League, which dispatched test applicants in July 1972. Their findings showed that while white people were offered apartments readily, black people were frequently turned away under false claims of no availability; management allegedly directed this policy according to a superintendent’s testimony. These groups escalated their concerns to the Justice Department.

In October 1973, the DoJ’s Civil Rights Division initiated a lawsuit against the Trump Organization (with Fred Trump as chair and Donald Trump as president) for violating the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Trump's attorney Roy Cohn filed a countersuit seeking $100 million for what he claimed were unfounded allegations. The FBI interviewed approximately thirty former employees; some denied awareness of discriminatory practices but acknowledged that only a small fraction of rentals went to blacks or Puerto Ricans. A former doorman testified that supervisors instructed him to inflate rent prices when dealing with black prospective tenants. Four landlords confirmed that rental applications were coded by race at corporate headquarters.

One code reportedly used in Brooklyn offices labeled certain groups—including blacks and Puerto Ricans—as "low lifes," who were often falsely told there were no vacancies available. A rental agent recalled being told by Fred Trump that renting to blacks was "absolutely against the law," yet was later directed not to rent to them and to "get rid of the blacks" by offering inexpensive housing elsewhere with a $500 down payment funded by Trump himself; however, details about these locations remain undisclosed. Welfare recipients faced similar discouragement from renting.

At the same time, Trump acquired up to a 20% stake in Brooklyn's federally subsidized Starrett City complex (opened in 1974), which sought an occupancy ratio of approximately 70% white tenants and 30% minorities.

A consent decree dated June 10, 1975 between the DoJ and the Trump Organization prohibited discriminatory practices in housing sales or rentals. It also required vacancy advertisements in minority newspapers for two years, promotion of minorities within professional roles, and preferential listing of available units. The agreement did not mandate acceptance of welfare tenants but obliged the Trumps to thoroughly understand the Fair Housing Act. Both parties declared partial victories: the Trumps for avoiding welfare tenant mandates and the DoJ for securing broad anti-discrimination commitments.

Subsequent legal violations

In 1975, residents of two Trump Norfolk tower buildings initiated a rent strike lasting a month, protesting infestations of rodents and insects alongside problems with water heating, air conditioning, and elevator maintenance. Early the following year, a county judge mandated that Trump address numerous code infractions at a 504-unit complex in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, including shattered windows, deteriorated gutters, and absent fire extinguishers. Following legal actions and negotiations, Trump was apprehended on site in September 1976 but was released on $1,000 bail.

By 1987, Donald Trump's outstanding loan debt to his father had surpassed $11 million. Fred Trump subsequently invested $15.5 million in Trump Palace Condominiums; however, by 1991, he sold his shares back to Donald for $10,000. This transaction effectively circumvented millions in gift taxes through a disguised donation and questionable financial deductions. Toward the end of 1990, confronted with an $18.4 million bond obligation for Atlantic City's Trump's Castle, Fred arranged to purchase $3.5 million worth of unused casino chips to facilitate payment. The state's Casino Control Commission ruled this arrangement an illicit loan and imposed a $65,000 fine on the casino.

In 1992, Fred and Donald created a subsidiary company wherein each of Fred's living children held a 20% ownership stake. A 2018 report by the New York Times suggested this entity was structured to enable tax evasion by transferring millions of Fred’s assets to his children without incurring gift taxes, including overcharging for maintenance services and equipment like boilers.

Wealth and passing

In 1976, Fred Trump established trust funds valued at $1 million each (equivalent to $5.3 million in 2023) for each of his five children and three grandchildren, generating annual dividend income. He appeared on the inaugural Forbes 400 list in 1982 with an estimated shared fortune of $200 million with his son Donald. That same year, Fred sold two Norfolk towers along with some military housing in Hampton Roads for between $8 and $9 million; as of 2019, approximately $6.6 million in promissory notes from this sale remained outstanding. In 1998, amid Fred’s Alzheimer's diagnosis and under his son Robert’s power of attorney, these notes were transferred into LLCs affiliated with Trump Organization subsidiaries.

In December 1990, Donald Trump sought to alter his father's will to gain control over the estate, which would have permitted him to manage or liquidate properties at will; this move was reportedly intended to protect assets from creditors and from Ivana Trump during their divorce proceedings. Fred declined this proposal and finalized a will in 1991 appointing Donald, Maryanne, and Robert as co-executors. Notably, the will excluded Fred Jr.’s children from inheriting their father's portion, allotting them only $200,000 each—the same amount given to other grandchildren.

By October 1991, Fred had been diagnosed with "mild senile dementia," exhibiting significant memory impairment that progressively worsened. Mary L. Trump observed that he ultimately failed to recognize family members he had known for decades. Donald indicated he first detected Alzheimer's symptoms during the mid-1990s.

By 1993, the estate's value was estimated at approximately $35 million per surviving child. Due to financial difficulties, Donald requested loans amounting to $30 million from his siblings' shares. Most properties were transferred into grantor-retained annuity trusts under the names of Donald and Ivana to facilitate asset transfer to their children while minimizing gift tax liabilities; assets declared at $41.4 million were subsequently sold in 2004 for more than sixteen times that figure.

Fred Trump passed away from pneumonia on June 25, 1999, aged 93. His funeral at Marble Collegiate Church drew over 600 attendees including New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Family estimates placed his estate between $250 and $300 million; however, it contained only $1.9 million in liquid assets. After taxes were applied, more than $20 million was distributed among his children and grandchildren. His widow Mary died in August 2000; together their estate was valued at $51.8 million.

Following Fred’s death, the children of Fred Jr. contested the will on grounds of dementia and undue influence exerted by Donald, Maryanne, and Robert Trump. These three acknowledged Fred’s cognitive decline but maintained he remained competent until shortly before passing. Mary L. Trump reported that Donald disparaged their father once Alzheimer's symptoms became evident.

In December 2003, Trump's four surviving children consented to sell apartments acquired in 1997 to an investment group led by Rubin Schron for $600 million; the transaction closed in May 2004. The leak of Donald Trump's 2005 tax returns in 2016 revealed an income of $153 million and prompted a New York Times investigation culminating in a 2018 exposé showing properties had been undervalued by more than sixteen times for tax purposes. The family reportedly transferred upwards of $1 billion through gifts subject to a 55% tax rate but paid only about $52 million (approximately 5%). New York State law permits prosecution for deliberate tax evasion if fraudulent returns are established; inquiries into Maryanne Trump Barry's involvement concluded with her retirement in early 2019.

Personal life

In May 1927, a group of more than 1,000 Ku Klux Klan members clad in robes, accompanied by approximately 400 supporters, disrupted a Memorial Day parade in Queens, prompting police to intervene. Among those detained were eight men, including a 21-year-old Fred Trump, who faced charges for "refusing to disperse," though his charges were ultimately dropped. Despite this episode, no definitive proof has surfaced linking Trump to support for the KKK.

Fred Trump encountered his future spouse, Mary Anne MacLeod, a Scottish immigrant, at a dance event in the early 1930s. They wed on January 11, 1936, and made their home in Jamaica, Queens. Together they had five children: Maryanne Trump Barry (1937–2023), Fred Trump Jr. (1938–1981), Elizabeth Trump Grau (born 1942), Donald Trump (born 1946), and Robert Trump (1948–2020), who served as a senior executive within Fred’s property management firm before retiring.

During the Second World War, Trump concealed his German roots and denied fluency in the language. Beginning in 1941, he contributed to Jewish causes, which led some to speculate that he practiced Judaism. He also dropped the "h" from his middle name and inaccurately claimed Swedish heritage. In the 1980s, Fred developed a friendship with Israeli ambassador Benjamin Netanyahu.

After Elizabeth was born and as U.S. involvement in World War II intensified, Trump relocated his family to Virginia Beach but returned to Queens by 1944. By 1946, they resided in a Tudor-style residence in Jamaica Estates and subsequently constructed a 23-room mansion on an adjacent property where they lived until their passing. Additionally, they maintained an apartment on the 55th floor of Trump Tower, which was seldom occupied.

Fred was a teetotaler and exercised strict authoritarian control over his children, enforcing curfews and table manners while prohibiting profanity and snacking between meals. He employed surveillance cameras and intercom systems to keep track of his children’s activities and promoted diligence by encouraging paper routes and collecting bottle deposits. Interests such as music were discouraged. According to Mary L. Trump, Fred Jr.’s daughter, Fred Sr. intended for his eldest son to be "invulnerable" for leadership in business but ultimately favored Donald as his successor, instructing him to "be a killer" and declaring "You are a king." Fred Jr. passed away at age 42 due to complications related to alcoholism.

In the 1950s, Fred expressed disapproval of the British monarchy during Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation broadcast. He admired Protestant minister Norman Vincent Peale for his pragmatic approach to both life and Christianity; Peale was linked with conservative political factions opposed to the New Deal. The Trump family regularly attended Peale's sermons at Manhattan’s Marble Collegiate Church. Furthermore, Fred supported evangelist Billy Graham and took his family to hear Graham speak at Yankee Stadium around 1957.

Philanthropy

Fred and Mary Trump contributed to medical charities by donating buildings. After Mary received treatment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, they funded the construction of the Trump Pavilion rehabilitation facility; Fred also held a position as a trustee of the hospital. Their donations included a two-building complex in Brooklyn dedicated to adults with intellectual disabilities and a New Jersey property valued at $4.75 million given to United Cerebral Palsy—a contribution later claimed by Donald as his own—and additional real estate donated to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). One of Fred’s least profitable properties was given to NKF; The New York Times characterized this as “one of the largest charitable donations he ever made,” with a tax deduction reported at $34 million on his 1992 tax return.

Following America’s entry into World War II, Trump actively supported Jewish and Israeli initiatives such as Israel Bonds, donated land for the Beach Haven Jewish Center synagogue located in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and served as treasurer for a 1952 Israel benefit concert featuring American entertainers.

Fred was an advocate for the private Kew-Forest School, which his children attended and on whose board he served. The Trumps participated actively in organizations including The Salvation Army, Boy Scouts of America, and Lighthouse for the Blind. Fred also supported Long Island Jewish Hospital along with Manhattan’s Hospital for Special Surgery, where he received care from orthopedist Philip D. Wilson Jr., who led the hospital’s surgical department from 1972 until 1989.

Though officially registered with the Republican Party, Fred cultivated relationships with New York Democrats, contributing $2,500 to Mayor Wagner’s 1961 campaign during efforts related to constructing Trump Village. In the 1980s, Fred and Donald jointly donated over $350,000 to city officials including Mayor Ed Koch, Council President Andrew Stein, Controller Harrison J. Goldin, and various borough presidents.

In October 2018, The New York Times reported that an examination of Trump's financial records revealed no evidence of substantial charitable donations made by him.

Legacy

Folk musician Woody Guthrie resided at the Beach Haven Apartments between 1950 and 1951. In his unreleased track "Old Man Trump", he condemned the rent policies and accused Trump of inciting racial animosity "in the bloodpot of human hearts". Likewise, an alternative version of "Ain't Got No Home" contained verses criticizing the property's discriminatory housing practices.

Fred J. Trump, a 1956 Arizona gubernatorial candidate and correspondent for Richard Nixon during the 1960 presidential race, was indirectly connected to Donald Trump through their shared surname.

Accounts of Fred Trump's background, including statements from Donald Trump himself, have varied and sometimes inaccurately claimed he was born in either New Jersey or Germany, despite contradictory evidence. A 2021 publication revealed Donald’s disparaging comments about German Chancellor Angela Merkel, referencing his father’s German roots.

Harry Hurt III’s 1993 biography depicts Fred as a notorious womanizer dubbed the "King of Miami Beach". According to the biography, Fred counseled Donald on extramarital relationships and harbored animosity toward Donald’s then-wife Ivana.

During Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential bid, Fred’s 1927 arrest at a Ku Klux Klan rally resurfaced in public discourse, alongside accusations of racism involving both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In 2017, the FBI released documents related to investigations into alleged racial discrimination by the Trump Organization. Psychological evaluations and family testimonies have characterized Fred as anti-Semitic and potentially sympathetic to KKK ideologies.

In May 2016, Fortune reported that Fred employed the alias "Mr. Green" when making inquiries about real estate values. FBI files made public in October 2016 contained censored memoranda concerning political contributions and suspicions of organized crime affiliations linked to Trump Management and Trump Construction Corp. Analysts have argued that many of Fred’s financial donations to Donald may have skirted legal boundaries.

By 2020, the political action committee MeidasTouch referenced Donald Trump’s own statements to claim he had squandered both his inherited wealth and the economic foundation left by the Obama administration. Tony Schwartz, ghostwriter of The Art of the Deal, described Fred as emotionally unintelligent, impacting his children adversely. Mary L. Trump labeled Fred a high-functioning sociopath who stunted Donald’s emotional growth. A psychohistorical study published in 2024 concluded that Fred’s harshness played a significant role in Donald’s lack of moral accountability.

Following Donald Trump’s arrest in New York in 2023, media outlets observed that his father had also been arrested on two occasions.

In popular culture

During the 2011 Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump, comedian Seth MacFarlane attributed Donald’s wealth to his father while ridiculing his "self-starter bullshit" and likening their dynamic to that of Jaden and Will Smith.

In late 2016, Nell Scovell recounted in Esquire her failed attempt to visit Fred Trump’s gravesite, noting an unexpectedly modest online photo and evasive replies from the cemetery's president.

In 2018, Nylon.com showcased an image of an elderly Fred Trump exhibiting facial scarring from a mandibulectomy, suggesting that the New York Times exposé painted him as resembling fictional antagonists. Since then, various portrayals of Fred have appeared across media: Fred Willard portrayed his ghost on Jimmy Kimmel Live!; he was featured in Our Cartoon President (2018–2020); a character inspired by him appeared in the 2019 series Watchmen; John Diehl took on his role in the 2022 film Armageddon Time; and Martin Donovan depicted him in the 2024 biographical film The Apprentice. Additionally, the Lincoln Project PAC utilized artificial intelligence to create his likeness.

In 2019, journalist and conspiracy theorist Wayne Madsen accused Fred Trump of Nazi sympathies based on the German American Bund's activity in New York. However, fact-checkers at Logically found no definitive proof supporting this allegation. During his 2024 U.S. presidential campaign, Donald Trump revealed that his father advised him never to utter "Nazi" or mention Adolf Hitler. Comedian Stephen Colbert humorously suggested this was to avoid invoking Hitler's name irreverently and referenced supposed family connections to Argentina.

External links

• The Unconventional Method Behind Trump's Wealth: Allegations of Fraud, Complex Tax Strategies, and Lifelong Financial Support from His Father – Vanity Fair, October 2, 2018
• Donald Trump Claims His Father Originated from Germany (Which Is Inaccurate) – Deadline.com, April 2, 2019