Donald Trump has changed the game when it comes to making money from politics.
While many rich folks have spent big bucks on campaigns, Trump has flipped the script. He’s used his time in office to build a huge new fortune.
Trump left the White House in 2021 with his business empire struggling. His real estate was empty, his hotels were losing cash, and his brand deals had dried up.
But he had something new – millions of loyal fans ready to buy anything with his name on it.
This led to a big change in Trump’s wealth.
In early 2021, he was worth about $2.4 billion. Most of that was tied up in buildings. Now, he’s back on the Forbes 400 list with $4.3 billion.
The biggest chunk of that comes from his new social media company.
Trump’s golf clubs and resorts are now making way more money.
People are paying huge fees to join, hoping to bump into the famous ex-president.
His golf business is now worth about $1.1 billion, almost double what it was when he left office.
He’s also cashing in on all kinds of random stuff.
Trump is selling coffee table books, digital collectibles, and even Bibles. People are snapping them up.
What’s Trump really selling? Himself.
He’s been doing this for decades, from his days as a young New York playboy to his time as a reality TV star. Now he’s found a whole new audience in politics.
Trump’s most bizarre money-maker is his social media company, Truth Social.
It’s losing tons of cash and barely makes any money. But Trump fans have pushed its value sky-high on the stock market. If anyone else owned it, it would probably be worth close to nothing.
Trump saw this coming years ago.
Back in 2000, he said he might be the first candidate to run for president and make money from it. He was right.
At first, running for president hurt Trump’s wallet.
His old luxury brand took a hit as he got more controversial. He lost licensing deals for stuff like ties and mattresses. His hotels saw fewer guests.
Trump also spent a lot of his own cash on his 2016 campaign. By the time he got to the White House, his cash pile had shrunk by more than half.
Being president didn’t help much at first.
Trump tried to make money from his position, like holding government events at his properties. But it wasn’t enough to make up for how politics had damaged his brand.
Things have changed big time since he left office.
Trump has found a way to turn his political fame into cold, hard cash. He’s the first American to create billions of dollars in wealth purely from being a politician.
Here’s a quick look at how Trump’s fortunes have changed:
Year | Estimated Net Worth | Main Source of Wealth |
---|---|---|
2015 | $4.5 billion | Real Estate |
2021 | $2.4 billion | Real Estate |
2024 | $4.3 billion | Social Media Company |
Trump’s core businesses are now making more money than ever.
His golf clubs and resorts pulled in about $218 million last year. That’s way up from what he was making as president.
What’s next for Trump’s political fortune? It’s hard to say.
But one thing’s for sure – he’s found a way to turn his loyal following into big bucks. Whether you love him or hate him, there’s no denying Trump has changed the game when it comes to mixing politics and profit.
Image: palinchak, depositphotos.com