Trump IPO’d a company that included, I sh!t you not, an under development casino in Gary, Indiana. It has filed for bankruptcy a bunch of times…
Bill Gates launched the Zune 
you trying too hard again. come back after you cool down
Lol, learn to take a joke Milton.
I mean, you asked for the stock and I told you one it may be. Anyway, I just find the Gary piece interesting. The place is pretty much a meme.
I only heard the reporters recap this story on The Daily, but doesn’t seem as bad as the first one about how his dad had to ban roll everything. Sounded like this could have been a large part non cash expenses, although I doubt he was cash flow positive given how much his father had to help
Lol yea Icahn ended up owning trumps stock due to debt restructuring. I think Icahn lost 300m. He sold it to hard rock for 50m
But… you guys realize Trump has managed to become President? It basically doesn’t matter what he did before. We could credibly argue that he is amoral or has other negative characteristics. However, the “loser” argument flew out the window 2 years ago.
Wait does being a public servant constitute as winning?
It definitely is when you’re running the most powerful country in the world.
Five star post.
yes, if your goal was to become a public servant.
Says who?
Let’s just say I have my doubts. Donald Trump has a very long history of spewing crap out of his mouth, a history that predates his interest in politics and in fact predates the birth of many posters on here. I would not assume he’s on the level about his net worth.
We’re on a finance forum, and I expect most of us could understand how a real estate developer could have negative personal taxable income due to high depreciation on real estate that is held by his pass-through corporations. But that’s a lot of losses. They are curious, and I suspect it’s more likely fraud than incompetence, simply because of his history. It would be interesting to see the financials of the corporations, but that’s not going to happen.
The core issue for me is that Trump has not clearly divulged his financial position to the public. My feeling is that if you want to be president, you should disclose your financial position and divest any business interests that could pose a conflict of interest or provide leverage to potential enemies. (I’m reminded that back in 1977, Jimmy Carter sold his peanut farm to comply with government ethics advice.) Trump has not done that. Unfortunately, U.S. laws do not strictly require that. Personally, I think they should. Many of us here probably have to make regular disclosures about our personal trading activity. That is good ethical practice for our industry. Furthermore, many of us here are CFA charterholders. I would think that the spirit of our code of ethics would be against the kind of murky delineation Trump has made between his personal business interests and his public service. What is legal is not always ethical, and unfortunately that bug of our government has been made rampantly apparent in Trumpworld.
I mean nearly every third party estimate (Bloomber $2.8B, Forbes $3.1B) has put him around that area based on known interests in existing properties. Not that hard, his own estimate was much higher.
Edit: I think its fair to say what you’re saying overall. It’s not wrong to want financial disclosures of the POTUS position and realistically I think he should have. This is a normal discussion, I have more of an issue with the outrage culture and trying to judge his mediocre business acumen or crying fraud (which this isn’t). As you pointed out, it’s best practice but not legally required. In his defense, there’s no advantage to adding disclosure and he knows this, because everything he offers up is picked apart and turned into hysteria, in his mind this is just no-collusion part 2. People also need to just recognize that it’s not required as you just did and let it lie because I think both sides understand the reality of the situation if they step back.
Jimmy Breslin on Trump. Three columns from the period 1988-1990. Breslin, who passed away a couple years ago, was a legend in New York journalism. (Side note: the second column - from 1989 - includes an appearance by Father Mychal Judge, who passed away on 9/11 while acting as a FDNY chaplain.)
https://www.newsday.com/opinion/jimmy-breslin-s-columns-on-donald-trump-1.13288319
I hear you and I think most people here are eyes wide open that yes, Trump is a sleazy dude. That’s why he’s such a successful politician. But what you provided is also an op-ed, while I don’t disagree with it, it is what it is.
@frisian - You’re saying that Trump, unlike most other Presidents, has significant conflicts of interest and should divest himself of those conflicts.
I would reply that Trump, unlike most other (recent) Presidents, actually has some interests. That’s why there’s conflict. And to ask him to divest himself of those interests is wholly un-American. And even if he should, do you really expect him to unload all of his property at prices other than a firesale price between winning the election (in November) and taking office (in January)?
I will agree that there should be some sort of oversight of ALL of the 535 (Pres, Senate, House, & 9 Justices). But I don’t know how that should be implemented. And I certainly don’t agree that he should close up shop or sell his businesses.
Donald Trump is a snake oil salesman. Has been for decades. How does he get away with this? The first Breslin column at that link has it exactly right - a sucker has to get screwed.
It’s an op-ed and you’re stating your opinion. I mean we get it you’re not offering anything new, I guess what boggles my mind are why the losers from the last election can’t learn to move on there’s more to life and no amount of stomping your feet is changing this. People vote for the candidate that supports their platform, everything you’re going on about is really irrelevant to voters that support him.