10 Intriguing Facts About Pre-Presidential Donald J. Trump

People have some pretty strong feelings about our 45th President, most people either love him or hate him. As a former reality TV star, some say he has a certain celebrity status and is well-recognized throughout the world. Businessman and real estate mogul are some of his other titles, but what else do we know about the leader of the free world before he entered the into oval office?

Born in Queens, New York on June 14, 1946, Donald was the fourth of five children born to his parents Mary Ann McLeod, who had immigrated here from Scotland and Frederic, a builder and real estate developer.

The couple married in 1936 when Mary was just seventeen and they settled in Queens a neighborhood teeming with other European immigrants. Frederic died of pneumonia in 1999 and Mary died within a year of her husband's passing. She was a well known New York City socialite and philanthropist.

Frederic Trump was a building magnate in his own right whose wealth rose during the 1950's post-war real estate boom. Frederic specialized in the construction and maintenance of mostly apartment buildings in the Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn neighborhoods of New York. While in college, Donald worked for his father in his real estate business during the summer months.

As a bright, energetic child, Donald's parents sent him to the New York Military Academy at age thirteen in hopes of challenging his passions in a positive manner. By the time he graduated in 1964, he was a star athlete and student leader.

After studying at Fordham University for two years, Trump transferred to the Wharton School of business where he graduated in 1968 with a degree in economics. During the Vietnam War era, he was able to defer the draft due to his educational status and an additional one-year medical deferment after graduation.

Donald married his current wife, Melania (Knauss) Trump in 2005 and she gave birth to their son Baron a year later. He married his second wife, actress Marla Maples in 1993 and they have a daughter named Tiffany together. His first marriage to Ivana Zelnickova Winklmayr in 1977 resulted in his first three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric respectively.

Trump added the catchphrase "You're Fired!" to pop culture as the star of Celebrity Apprentice (formerly known as simply The Apprentice) for fifteen seasons on NBC. Previous to his presidency, in addition to his iconic buildings, plazas and other real estate ventures, this is likely one of the biggest reasons he's considered a celebrity in certain circles.

According to Forbe's magazine, Donald Trump's net worth is estimated to be $3.1 million in 2017. This includes $1.6 billion in New York real estate, $570 million in resorts and golf clubs, $200 million in branded businesses and $290 million in cash and personal property.

Forbes also believes Donald had his shares of shortcomings over the years especially during the real estate slump in the eighties. In 1990, the magazine asserted his debt was close to $500 million, while Trump insisted his net worth was around $1.5 million at the time. In either case, the Trump Organization needed a number of loans to stay afloat during the nineties and Donald's company is still going strong.

Raised as a Presbyterian by his mother, currently, Donald identifies as a mainline, American Protestant. For those who aren't aware, Protestants are defined as a sect that is separate from Catholicism and encompasses the Presbyterian, Baptist and Lutheran churches.

Many aren't aware or don't recall Donald first announced he would be throwing his hat into the presidential race back in 2000 when he sought the support of the Reform party. He later withdrew his bid to compete in the run for the presidency in the 2012 election, which would have put him up against Bill Clinton instead of his successful battle in beating Hillary for the seat in 2016.

Sources: https://www.biography.com/people/donald-trump-9511238