Donald Trump: Businessman and 45th President of the United States

Donald Trump: Businessman and 45th President of the United States

Donald Trump is a business mogul, reality television star, and the 45th President of the United States. From building a real-estate empire, through to his election in 2016, Trump’s story is one of both ambition and success. In 2020, Trump is running for re-election and is hoping to build on the success of his first term in office.

Donald Trump’s Business Career

Donald Trump began his road to success after graduating from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania in 1968. He began his career in his father’s real-estate business and indulged his passion for deal-making, successfully taking over the company in 1974. Trump then focused on developing properties in Manhattan, New York, and had a hand in ambitious projects such as the renovation of the iconic Grand Hyatt Hotel.

In the 1980s, Trump vastly diversified his business interests, processing to create the Trump Organization and investing in luxury real-estate, hotels, and casinos, forming a business empire. Trump also bought the Miss Universe Organization which hosted the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants.

The high-profile projects Trump was involved in saw him dubbed the “Master of the Deal” and led him to win a special achievement Emmy Award in 2004 for his NBC series, The Apprentice.

Trump on TV

Trump became a household name in 2003 when the NBC reality television show, The Apprentice, debuted. The series ran for 15 seasons and launched a franchise with Celebrity Apprentice, featuring now disgraced Hollywood stars such as Gary Busey, Piers Morgan and Lennox Lewis.

The success of The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice opened the door for Trump to become a frequent guest on the talk show circuit and earned him a book deal with Random House for a memoir he entitled Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life.

Rebranding Donald Trump

By the start of the new millennium, Trump had rebranded himself into a New York icon, however his ambitions in politics would soon take shape.

In 2011, Trump announced that he was running for President of the United States, under the Republican Party ticket; however he then dropped the bid.

Donald Trump’s Election to the Presidency

On June 16, 2015, Trump announced his candidacy for the role of President of the United States, under the Republican Party.

Donald Trump offered a starkly different breed of leadership to his Republican rival; he was a self-assured and unashamedly-opinionated businessman who offered a platform of national protectionism and self-interest to establish “America First” in the world.

Despite potential financial conflicts of interest, criticisms of Trump’s business dealings and public language, Trump realised success and was declared the 45th President of the United States on November 8th 2016, after defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump in Office

Since Trump assumed office as President in January 2017, he has made numerous decisions of far-reaching consequence, ranging from increasing restrictions on immigration, to reducing oversight of Wall Street, to engaging in an often antagonistic relationship with NATO and trade licensing protocols.

Trump has employed public-relations strategies that his opponents have characterized as blunt, crass, and dangerous for the nation’s diplomatic interests. His policies have also received mixed congressional reviews, with many actions vetoed or blocked, including the Travel Ban, border wall protections, and preference restrictions for certain countries.

Foreign Policy

Trump’s foreign policy has been both aggressive and unpredictable. He pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Deal, the Paris Agreement and the Trans Pacific Partnership and he has escalated the trade war with China. As President, he attempted to negotiate a peace deal between Israel and Palestine and met with KimJong Un three times in an attempt to bring peace and stability to North Korea.

Domestic Policy

Trump’s domestic policy has included several controversial actions, most notably the repealing of the Affordable Care Act. However, there was a mixed response from the public and it was blocked by the United States Senate. Trump has also passed new regulations on the environment, including weakening emissions standards, limiting the power of the EPA, and allowing oil and gas drilling in the Arctic.

Tax Policy

Trump introduced the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which provided substantial tax cuts for the middle class and corporations. This act saw the top individual tax rate fall from 39.6% to 37% and the top corporate rate fall from 35% to 21%. Trump’s tax policy also included changes to passing on business profits and wealth, a doubling of the child tax credit and an overhaul of the international taxation system.

Economic Policy

Trump’s economic policy includes policies that prioritize job creation and conserve a healthy level of deficit spending. Trump passed the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, which rolled back some of the financial regulations imposed during the Obama administration. He has imposed tariffs on steel, aluminium, and numerous Chinese imports which have caused a stir in the stock markets. Overall, the Trump administration’s economic record has been largely positive, with economic growth staying steady, unemployment decreasing and job growth increasing.

Trade Policy

Trump’s trade policies have focused on protecting American businesses, reducing the trade deficit and renegotiating trade agreements with other countries. He signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, an update of the NAFTA agreement, which was designed to improve the rules of trade between these countries. He also placed tariffs on goods from many countries, including China, India and Mexico, with the intention of limiting imports to the United States and increasing American manufacturing jobs.

Donald Trump is a complex and divisive figure who has achieved success in both business and politics. Beginning his career in his father’s real-estate business and establishing a vast business empire that included hotels, casinos, and the Miss Universe Organization, Trump earned the nickname “Master of the Deal”. Trump rose to household name status in 2003 with the debut of The Apprentice and subsequently announced a bid to run for President of the United States under the Republican ticket in 2011. After winning the election in 2016, Trump became the 45th President of the United States. During his first term, Trump has implemented a wide range of policies and focused on trade agreements, economic growth, and immigration. Whilst many of his policies have been controversial, his economic record has been largely positive. As he campaigns for re-election in 2020, Trump’s story of ambition and success continues.