10 facts
Discover 10 surprising facts about Donald Trump — the real estate mogul, reality TV star, and two-time US president whose life is full of record-breaking firsts.
The construction of Trump Tower in Manhattan in the early 1980s relied heavily on undocumented Polish workers, known as the 'Polish Brigade,' who worked in dangerous conditions for below-minimum wages. Trump was sued over this labor dispute in 1983. The case was settled out of court in 1999, with Trump paying an undisclosed sum.
When Trump won the 2024 presidential election at age 78, he became the oldest person ever elected to the US presidency, surpassing Joe Biden, who had held the record at age 77 in 2020. Remarkably, Trump himself had previously set the record in 2016 by becoming the oldest first-term president at age 70.
Trump's reality TV show The Apprentice premiered on NBC in 2004 and ran for 14 seasons. The show's signature catchphrase 'You're fired!' became a cultural phenomenon. At its peak, the show drew 28 million viewers per episode and significantly boosted Trump's public profile before his entry into politics.
In May 2024, a New York jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made before the 2016 election. He became the first former US president ever convicted of a crime, yet went on to win the presidential election six months later in November 2024.
Trump attempted to purchase the Buffalo Bills NFL franchise in 2014 when the team went up for sale following owner Ralph Wilson's death. He placed a bid but was outbid by Terry Pegula, a billionaire energy magnate who paid $1.4 billion. Trump had previously tried to buy the team in the 1980s as well — both bids were unsuccessful.
Trump's grandfather Friedrich Drumpf emigrated from the German village of Kallstadt to the United States in 1902 and anglicized the family name to 'Trump.' Friedrich made his fortune running restaurants and hotels during the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada before settling in New York — laying the foundation for the Trump family wealth.
Trump has a long history with professional wrestling, hosting WrestleMania IV and V at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City in 1988 and 1989. In 2007, he famously 'shaved' WWE chairman Vince McMahon's head after winning a 'Battle of the Billionaires' match by proxy. For these contributions, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.
Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives in December 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and again in January 2021 for incitement of insurrection following the Capitol riot. He was acquitted by the Senate both times, making him the only president in US history to face two impeachment trials.
Trump is a lifelong teetotaler who has never consumed alcohol or tobacco. He attributes this strict abstinence to the death of his older brother Fred Trump Jr., who struggled with alcoholism and died at age 42 in 1981. Trump has said this tragedy made him warn his own children strongly against drinking.
Long before entering politics, Trump was a fixture of American pop culture, making cameo appearances in dozens of films and TV shows including Home Alone 2, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sex and the City, and WWE events. His IMDb page lists over 500 credits, making him one of the most-filmed non-actor public figures in history.
