Trump was born in Queens, New York, in 1946.[source] He attended Fordham University before transferring to the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a B.S. in economics in 1968.[source]
After graduation, Trump joined his family's company, Elizabeth Trump & Son. He took control of the company in 1971 and later renamed it the Trump Organization.[source] He was involved in various real estate and other business ventures in the following years. From 2004 until 2015, Trump hosted and served as executive producer of The Apprentice on NBC.[source][source]
In 1999, Trump ran as a Reform Party presidential candidate; he withdrew from the race in February 2000.[source][source] Between 1987 and 2012, he changed his official party affiliation five times, registering most recently as a Republican in April 2012.[source]
Trump declared his candidacy for the 2016 presidential election on June 16, 2015, and officially received the nomination of the Republican Party on July 19, 2016, at the Republican National Convention.
On November 8, 2016, Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States. He received 304 electoral votes to Hillary Clinton's 227.[source]
*From Ballotpedia biography of Donald Trump. You can view the full entry on the President as well.
Below is an abbreviated outline of Trump's professional and political career:
Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election. He was the 2016 Republican nominee for president of the United States. He declared his candidacy on June 16, 2015, and officially received the nomination of the Republican Party on July 19, 2016, at the Republican National Convention.
A New York-based real estate developer, author, chairman of The Trump Organization, and former executive producer of “The Apprentice”— a reality television show in which he also starred—Trump had never before sought or held elected public office before his 2016 run. However, he flirted with political bids off and on between the late 1980s and 2015. He became more active in national politics in 2011 when he publicly questioned whether Barack Obama was a natural citizen. That same year, Trump indicated some interest in seeking the Republican nomination for president but ultimately declined to run.
Trump’s candidacy for the Republican nomination in 2016 was initially seen as a long shot. Still, the New York businessman’s outsider status, mastery of the media, and no-holds-barred campaign style propelled him to the front of the field. Trump racked up victories in critical early states, and by May, the race had dwindled from more than a dozen candidates to three: Trump, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and Ohio Governor John Kasich. After a critical victory in Indiana on May 3, Cruz and Kasich dropped out, leaving Trump unchallenged for the nomination. When the dust settled, 13.3 million primary voters had backed Trump, a new record in the history of Republican primaries.
Trump's slogan throughout his campaign was "Make America Great Again," which Trump defined in his book, Crippled America, as "restoring a sense of dignity to the White House, and to our country in general."[1]
States that were critical to Trump's victory in the primaries include New Hampshire, Nevada, Florida, New York, and Indiana.
Focal points of Trump's campaign included strengthening U.S. immigration laws, renegotiating or withdrawing from international trade deals, a more aggressive foreign policy in the Middle East, lowering taxes, and repealing financial and environmental regulations.
Trump’s domestic platform focused heavily on immigration and scaling back environmental regulations. He proposed strengthening U.S. immigration laws. He pushed for the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the costs of which he says the Mexican government will cover. During the Republican primaries, he called for the deportation of all undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.—about 11 million people—but in August 2016 he suggested that those who have not committed crimes could possibly be allowed to stay if they paid back taxes. Trump advocated rescinding and reforming environmental regulations supported by the Obama administration and has called climate change “a total hoax.” He supported repealing the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, and proposed his own healthcare reform plan.
The NRA endorsed Trump, and he voiced opposition to gun-free zones, such as in schools. On social and cultural issues, Trump vowed to nominate judges opposed to abortion and once suggested that women who have abortions should be punished. Trump also stated that while he opposes abortion, he believes there should be exceptions in the case of rape, incest, and risks to the mother’s life. He said that he supports “traditional marriage” and argued that states should decide whether transgender people should use restrooms corresponding to their gender identity.
Trump supported cutting taxes at all levels, and his opposition to international free-trade deals was a trademark of his campaign. His tax proposals included cuts at all income levels, an end to the estate tax, and a tax deduction for childcare expenses. He called international trade deals like NAFTA and TPP “a disaster” and pushed for increased import tariffs. Trump voiced support for raising the minimum wage to $10 an hour but also said that changes to the minimum wage should happen at the state level. He was critical of financial regulatory legislation such as Dodd-Frank, which he called “terrible.” He called government regulations, in general, a “stealth tax.”
This section featured five news stories about Trump and his presidential campaign. For a complete timeline of Trump's campaign activity, click here.
*From Ballotpedia. View the full entry on Trump in the news.
Ballotpedia's analysis and easy-to-read reports of Trump's campaign financials.
CBS Nightly News - December 25, 2015
NBC Nightly News - January 24, 2016
C-SPAN - July 27, 2016
NPR - November 15, 2016
TIME Magazine
Trump 101 by
In "Trump 101, " Trump himself becomes your personal mentor and coach as he shares tips, tactics, and strategies, all designed to help you make the most of yourself, your career, and your life. Each chapter covers a basic rule or belief, and shows you how to make it work for you. Learn the vital qualities and skills that every successful businessperson needs.
Trump Never Give Up by
In Never Give Up, Donald Trump tells the dramatic stories of his biggest challenges, lowest moments, and worst mistakes--and how he uses tenacity and creativity to turn defeat into victory. Each chapter includes an inspiring story from Trump's career and concludes with expert commentary and coaching from adversity researcher and author Paul Stoltz. Inspirational and intelligent, Never Give Up will help you deal with your own personal challenges, failures, and weaknesses.
Trump: the Art of the Deal by
President Donald J. Trump lays out his professional and personal worldview in this classic work--a firsthand account of the rise of America's foremost deal-maker. "I like thinking big. I always have. To me it's very simple: If you're going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big."--Donald J. Trump Here is Trump in action--how he runs his organization and how he runs his life--as he meets the people he needs to meet, chats with family and friends, clashes with enemies, and challenges conventional thinking. But even a maverick plays by rules, and Trump has formulated time-tested guidelines for success. He isolates the common elements in his greatest accomplishments; he shatters myths; he names names, spells out the zeros, and fully reveals the deal-maker's art. And throughout, Trump talks--really talks--about how he does it. Trump: The Art of the Deal is an unguarded look at the mind of a brilliant entrepreneur--the ultimate read for anyone interested in the man behind the spotlight. Praise for Trump: The Art of the Deal "Trump makes one believe for a moment in the American dream again."--The New York Times "Donald Trump is a deal maker. He is a deal maker the way lions are carnivores and water is wet."--Chicago Tribune "Fascinating . . . wholly absorbing . . . conveys Trump's larger-than-life demeanor so vibrantly that the reader's attention is instantly and fully claimed."--Boston Herald "A chatty, generous, chutzpa-filled autobiography."--New York Post
Federal Elections Commission (FEC)
Every two years, the Commission publishes Federal Elections, a compilation of the official, certified federal election results obtained from each state’s election office and other official sources. 1996 - .
A guide from The National Archives on what the electoral college is and its functions.
Presidential elections information including the most recent elections.
270towin.com is an interactive Electoral College map for 2016 and a history of Presidential elections in the United States. Since electoral votes are generally allocated on an "all or none" basis by state, the election of a U.S President is about winning the popular vote in enough states to achieve 270 electoral votes, a majority of the 538 that are available.
