By Nicholas Zizelis
Donald Braggadocio Trump, the quintessential “Self Made Man”… almost. And indeed he is, if “Self” means having a millionaire father. Born in 1946, son of real estate tycoon Fred Trump, blessed with a posh youth of private schools and limitless security plus an inheritance of up to $200 million, this “Self Made Man” was destined to succeed.
In 1974, at 28 years of age, he was made president of his dad’s organization. In the following 15 years his father’s firm—now Donald’s—grew. In 1980 it was made completely Junior’s own as the Trump Organization. By 1990, however, the Trump Organization was so mismanaged by his astute guidance and judgment as to drive it $5 billion (by some estimates $8 billion) into debt. A bailout deal by some 70 banks, combined with governmental aid, managed to deter bankruptcy and abject failure.
From the moment of his birth, Trump was assured success. The large inheritance left to him by his father, coupled with the contributions of benefactors and the U.S. government, made his grooming for wealth almost inevitable, regardless of his innate tendency to counteract the obvious.
Nevertheless, Mr. Lucky Loudmouth, short of dislocating his shoulder due to patting himself on the back in the process of declaring himself as that “Self Made Man,” has garnered a following of those who enjoy listening to his bravado and imagining themselves included (read deluded) as part of it. I even read of someone blaming Macy’s for his failures—forgetting that Univision, Serta, NBC, ESPN, PGA, FAA and NYC, are all also among the many wishing to detach themselves from Delusional Donald.
Nicholas Zizelis
Bayside
