MAIN People in the News Donald Trump

If the old saying holds true - that to become famous you must either write a book worth reading, or live a life worth writing about - then Donald Trump has done it all.

While attaining to pop idol status in the ongoing hit reality TV series The Apprentice - now revamped as Celebrity Apprentice - he continues to keep his eye on new ways to expand his already huge empire as real estate mogul, TV producer and author.

As the producer of the annual Miss USA contest, the 59-year-old billionaire developer has been in the news most recently for allowing reigning Miss USA, Tara Conner a second chance to hold on to her crown following charges of "inappropriate behavior".

The Donald Takes Manhattan

Born Donald John Trump on June 14, 1946 in New York City, Trump later attended the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Finance, but his true education in business was in working closely with his mentor and father, real estate developer Fred Trump.

From his home base in Queens, New York, Trump soon made the move to Manhattan where he honed his innate talent for The Art of the Deal by making the Trump name known to the city's top industry leaders and politicians.

Today, Trump's name is almost synonymous with the city in which he was born. His empire of famous buildings - which stand out even in the steel and glass canyon of midtown - include the Trump Tower skyscraper, along with the residential Trump Parc, Trump Palace, Trump Plaza, Trump Park Avenue and the new Trump World Tower.

He has also had a hand in the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center; high profile restoration projects including the Plaza Hotel and Grand Central Terminal; and in one particular public relations coup reopened a delapidated ice skating rink in Central Park months shorter and millions lower than city budget estimates.

The Donald Falls, Makes a Comeback

Along the way "The Donald" also built a casino gambling empire, and today the Trump Organization is one of the world’s largest operators of hotels and casinos boasting a veritable monopoly of famous addresses in Atlantic City. Trump's ultimate triumph, ironically, came with his economic fall in the 1990's when the effects of a recession brought him to the brink of bankruptcy, only to restructure his casino empire debt and come back out on top a few years later.

On the national scene, in 2000 Trump made a bid for U.S. presidency, running on the Reform ticket, and also has been an author of a string of bestsellers including Trump: The Art of the Deal, and Trump: The Art of the Comeback as well as Trumph: The Art of Survival, among others. His most recent book, How To Get Rich: Big Deals from the Star of The Apprentice also made the bestseller lists.

On a Personal Note

His personal life, as well, has been documented in the press since Trump first burst upon he scene during the 1980's building boom. His high profile marriage to Ivana Trump (which ended in 1990) was followed by his marriage and subsequent divorce from Marla Maples.

In 2005, Trump married girlfriend, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, in a lavish wedding on January 22 at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach — as Trump’s children Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany watched their father say "I do" for the third time. That same year, he was also the subject of ABC Television's dramatization, Trump Unauthorized..

In spring of 2006, the couple announced arrival of a baby boy born March 20, 2006. The child is the fifth for Trump, and the first for Knauss. Trump has four children from his previous marriages: Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, with first wife Ivana Trump; and Tiffany with second wife Marla Maples.

Donald Trump - Wikipedia - An extensive biography of the rise, fall, and rise again of The Donald including photos, related links.

Donald Trump Biography - A quick take on the billionare's life with photo, quotes.

Topix.net - Donald Trump News - Links to late breaking news and headlines from various sources around the Web.

The Fabulous Life of Donald Trump - A bio, episode guide and message board from the VH1 cable show series.

Donald Seeks to Trump "You're Fired" Market - A bid to copyright the famous Apprentice phrase for publicity and marketing purposes, with copies of filed legal documents courtesy of TheSmokingGun.com.

also see in Business -> Public Relations Marketing - Trump Style

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