1905

Donald’s father, Frederick Christ Trump, was born in the Bronx. He started working with his mother in real estate when he was 15.

1912

Trump's mother Mary Anne MacLeod was born in Scotland May 10.

1936

Fred and Mary were married in 1936 and raised their family in Queens.

1946

Donald John Trump was born on June 14, 1946, at the Jamaica Hospital in the borough of Queens, New York City.

His father Fred Trump, a Bronx-born real estate developer, whose own parents were German immigrants. His mother was Scottish-born housewife and socialite Mary Anne MacLeod Trump.

1950’s

Trump is a Presbyterian. As a child, he attended the First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens, where he had his confirmation.

1959

At age 13, he was enrolled in the New York Military Academy, a private boarding school.

1964

Trump enrolled at Fordham University.

1966

Two years later he transferred to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

1968

A local draft board classified him as eligible to serve.

Trump began his career in 1968 at his father Fred's real estate development company, E. Trump & Son, which owned middle-class rental housing in New York City's outer boroughs.

While at Wharton, he worked at the family business, Elizabeth Trump & Son, graduating in May 1968 with a B.S. in economics.

In October 1968, he was medically deferred and classified 1-Y (unqualified for duty except in the case of a national emergency).

1970

His parents joined the Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan, part of the Reformed Church.

The pastor at Marble, Norman Vincent Peale, ministered to Trump's family and mentored him until Peale's death in 1993.

1971

He was named president of the family company and renamed it The Trump Organization.

1972

He was reclassified 4-F, due to bone spurs, which permanently disqualified him from service.

1973

Profiles of Trump published in The New York Times in 1973 and 1976 reported that he had graduated first in his class at Wharton.

1977

Trump married Czech model Ivana Zelníčková.

They have three children, Donald Jr. (born 1977), Ivanka (born 1981), and Eric (born 1984), and ten grandchildren. Ivana became a naturalized United States citizen in 1988. The couple divorced in 1992.

1978

Trump attracted public attention in 1978 with the launch of his family's first Manhattan venture, the renovation of the derelict Commodore Hotel, adjacent to Grand Central Terminal.

The financing was facilitated by a $400 million city property tax abatement arranged by Fred Trump, who also joined Hyatt in guaranteeing $70 million in bank construction financing.

1980

The Commodore Hotel reopened in 1980 as the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and that same year, Trump obtained rights to develop Trump Tower, a mixed-use skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan.

Trump has had a sporadic relationship with professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment since the late 1980s; in 1988 and 1989, WrestleMania IV and V, which took place at the Atlantic City Convention Hall.

1982

Trump was listed on the initial Forbes list of wealthy individuals as having a share of his family's estimated $200 million net worth.

1983

Trump Tower located at 725 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan officially opens

Trump received the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award, after he helped fund the building of two playgrounds, a park, and a reservoir in Israel.

1984

Trump bought the West Side Rail Yards which later became Trump Place, 16 high-rise luxury residential buildings

Trump opened Harrah's at Trump Plaza hotel and casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey with financing from the Holiday Corporation, who also managed the operation.

Gambling had been legalized there in 1977 in an effort to revitalize the once-popular seaside destination.

1985

Trump acquired the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

Earlier, Trump had also acquired a partially completed building in Atlantic City from the Hilton Corporation for $320 million. Upon its completion in 1985, that hotel and casino was called Trump Castle. Trump's then-wife Ivana managed it until 1988.

1986

Completed the Wollman Rink in Central Park in less than six months and at no cost to the city.

He received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in recognition of "patriotism, tolerance, brotherhood and diversity".

Soon after it opened Harrah's at Trump Plaza was renamed "Trump Plaza", but the property's poor financial results worsened tensions between Holiday and Trump, who paid Holiday $70 million in May 1986 to take sole control of the property.

1987

Trump's first book, The Art of the Deal (1987), topped the New York Times Best Seller list for 13 weeks, and remained on the list for 48 weeks.

According to The New Yorker, "The book expanded Trump's renown far beyond New York City, promoting an image of himself as a successful dealmaker and tycoon".

Trump's political party affiliation has changed numerous times. He registered as a Republican in Manhattan in 1987.

Trump spent $94,801 (equivalent to $213,344 in 2019) to place full-page advertisements in three major newspapers, proclaiming "America should stop paying to defend countries that can afford to defend themselves." The advertisements also advocated for "reducing the budget deficit, working for peace in Central America, and speeding up nuclear disarmament negotiations with the Soviet Union".

1988

In 1988, Trump founded Trump Shuttle, purchasing 21 planes and landing rights at three airports in New York City, Boston, and the Washington, D.C., area, from the defunct Eastern Air Lines, costing $380 million financed from 22 banks.

The airline offered charter services in addition to scheduled shuttle flights, and was eventually sold to USAir Group in 1992 after failing to operate at a profit.

The Donald J. Trump Foundation was a U.S.-based private foundation established in 1988 for the initial purpose of giving away proceeds from the book Trump: The Art of the Deal.

According to a Gallup poll in December 1988, Trump was the tenth most admired man in America.

Trump purchased the Plaza Hotel, one of New York City's most beloved icons. Mr. Trump spent millions of dollars restoring and refurbishing the hotel’s interior and exterior with precise detail. In 1992, Mr. Trump sold the Plaza Hotel after restoring the landmark property back to its original grandeur.

1989

The first release of “Trump: The Game” game board. "It's not whether you win or lose, it's whether you win!" Trump appeared in a television commercial for the game.

1990

Trump acquired a third casino in Atlantic City, the Taj Mahal, in 1988 in a highly leveraged transaction.

It was financed with $675 million in junk bonds and completed at a cost of $1.1 billion, opening in April 1990.

1993

Marla Maples and Trump married in 1993 and had one daughter, Tiffany (born 1993). They were divorced in 1999.

1994

Bought the Seven Springs Mansion in Westchester, NY, a 230 acre property owned by the former publisher of the Washington Post.

1995

In 1995, Trump lost a hotel to Citibank and investors from Singapore and Saudi Arabia, who assumed $300 million of the debt.

Trump acquired 40 Wall Street, now renamed The Trump Building, which is a 72 story landmark building in the Financial District, directly across from the New York Stock Exchange.

Was awarded the President's Medal from the Freedoms Foundation for his support of youth programs.

1997

Trump International Hotel & Tower® on Central Park West in New York City opened.

1999

Trump switched to the Reform Party in 1999.

The first Trump Golf property, Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach, opened in West Palm Beach, Florida.

2001

Trump switched to the Democratic Party.

Trump World Tower opened in to much acclaim for its architectural excellence and was the tallest residential tower in New York City at the time.

2002

Trump National Golf Club, Westchester, a premier private club located just 30 minutes outside of Manhattan opened. The property features a world-class course and magnificent 101-foot waterfall.

2003

Trump became the co-producer and host of The Apprentice, a reality show in which contestants competed for a one-year management job with the Trump Organization, and Trump weeded out applicants with the catchphrase "You're fired". He later co-hosted The Celebrity Apprentice, in which celebrities competed to win money for charities. In February 2015, Trump said he was not ready to sign on for another season of the show because he considered running for president

2004

Trump co-founded a company called Trump University that sold real estate training courses priced at between $1,500 and $35,000. After New York State authorities twice notified the company that its use of the word "university" violated state law, its name was changed to the "Trump Entrepreneurial Institute" in 2010.

The Apprentice’ debuted on network television, co-produced by and starring Donald J. Trump, and ran for an astonishing fourteen seasons.

He also had his own short-form talk radio program called Trumped! (one to two minutes on weekdays) from 2004 to 2008.

Re-released “Trump: The Game”, after the success of Trump's new reality television series, The Apprentice. The updated version of the game implemented Trump's signature catchphrase from the series: "You're fired!"

Hosted Saturday Night Live.

Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster opened, one of the most impressive and exclusive private golf clubs in the country. With 36 holes of championship golf on over 600 acres.

2005

Trump married Slovenian model Melania Knauss.

Started the Donald J. Trump Signature Collection.

Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles officially opened. Fronting the Pacific Ocean for over two miles.

2006

Son Barron was born.

Melania was gained U.S. citizenship.

2007

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.

2008

Trump International Hotel, Las Vegas officially opened as the tallest building in Las Vegas. The 64-story glistening tower brings style and elegance to the heart of the entertainment capital of the world.

2009

Trump returned back to the Republican Party.

Trump's presence on social media has attracted attention worldwide since he joined Twitter in March 2009.

Trump International Hotel opened. Located in the most desirable area of Honolulu and steps from Waikiki beach, Waikiki offer unequaled views of the city, mountains, and ocean.

Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago opened and has been a blockbuster success on several levels, with consecutive years of Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond awards.

Trump National Golf Club, Washington D.C. opened. With 600 acres and frontage on the historic Potomac River, the property consists of two championship golf courses which were home to the 2017 Senior PGA Championship.

2011

He was given a weekly unpaid guest commentator spot on Fox & Friends that continued until he started his presidential candidacy in 2015.

Trump publicly speculated about running for president in the 2012 election, and made his first speaking appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February 2011.

On May 16, 2011, Trump announced he would not run for president in the 2012 election.

Trump Vineyard Estates opened which spans 1,300 beautiful acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Trump Towers Istanbul officially opened.

2012

Liberty University awarded Trump an honorary Doctorate of Business in 2012.

Mr. Trump purchased the Doral Hotel & Country Club in Miami which includes five championship golf courses, the world-renowned Blue Monster championship golf course, a 50,000 square foot spa and a 700 room hotel.

Trump Organization’s first golf course in Scotland, located in Aberdeen, opened.

2013

Trump spoke at CPAC again; he railed against illegal immigration, bemoaned Obama's "unprecedented media protection", advised against harming Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and suggested that the government "take" Iraq's oil and use the proceeds to pay a million dollars each to families of dead soldiers.

Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

2014

Purchased the Doonbeg Golf Resort in Ireland, which became Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland.

Trump also purchased the famed Turnberry Resort in Scotland, home of the Open Championship.

2015

In February 2015, Trump said he was not ready to sign on for another season of the show (The Apprentice) because he considered running for president

On June 16, 2015, Trump announced his candidacy for President of the United States at Trump Tower in Manhattan. In the speech, Trump discussed illegal immigration, offshoring of American jobs, the U.S. national debt, and Islamic terrorism, which all remained large priorities during the campaign. He also announced his campaign slogan: "Make America Great Again".

2016

He spent over $1 million that year to research a possible 2016 candidacy.

By March 2016, Trump was poised to win the Republican nomination.

After becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, Trump shifted his focus to the general election. Trump began campaigning against Hillary Clinton, who became the presumptive Democratic nominee on June 6, 2016.

On July 15, 2016, Trump announced his selection of Indiana governor Mike Pence as his running mate.

Trump and Mike Pence were officially nominated by the Republican Party at the Republican National Convention. The list of convention speakers and attendees included former presidential nominee Bob Dole, but the other prior nominees did not attend.

On September 26, 2016, Trump and Clinton faced off in their first presidential debate, which was held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

The second presidential debate was held at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri. The beginning of that debate was dominated by references to a recently leaked tape of Trump making sexually explicit comments, which Trump countered by referring to alleged sexual misconduct on the part of Bill Clinton. Prior to the debate, Trump had invited four women who had accused Bill Clinton of impropriety to a press conference.

The final presidential debate was held on October 19 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

On November 8, 2016, Trump received 306 pledged electoral votes versus 232 for Clinton. The official counts were 304 and 227 respectively, after defections on both sides.

In December 2016, Time named Trump as its "Person of the Year", but Trump took issue with the magazine for referring to him as the "President of the Divided States of America".

In the same month, he was named Financial Times Person of the Year and was ranked by Forbes the second most powerful person in the world after Vladimir Putin.

The historic Old Post Office was fully restored by the Trump Family and opened as Trump International Hotel, Washington D.C.

Trump Tower opened at Century City, Makati, Philippines. The ideal cosmopolitan backdrop for one of the city’s tallest structures.

2017

Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States on January 20, 2017. During his first week in office, he signed six executive orders: interim procedures in anticipation of repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy, unlocking the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipeline construction projects, reinforcing border security, and beginning the planning and design process to construct a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.

In 2017, North Korea's nuclear weapons became increasingly seen as a serious threat to the United States.

On January 27, 2017, Trump signed Executive Order 13769, which suspended admission of refugees for 120 days and denied entry to citizens of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen for 90 days, citing security concerns. The order was imposed without warning and took effect immediately.

As president, Trump received the Collar of The Order of Abdulaziz al Saud from Saudi Arabia in 2017.

Liberty University awarded Trump an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2017, during his first college commencement speech as president.

On January 25, 2017, signed an executive order that included ordering the “immediate” construction of a physical wall on the Southern border”, the hiring of 5,000 additional border control agents, and ending “catch-and-release” policies for illegal immigrants.

Trump signed an executive order that called for hiring an additional 10,000 federal immigration officers, re-establishing the Secure Communities Program and other local partnerships, making the deportation of criminal illegal immigrants a priority, directing the State Department to use leverage to ensure countries-of-origin take back illegal immigrants and stripping federal grant money from sanctuary cities and states.

On January 30, 2017, Trump signed Executive Order 13771, which directed administrative agencies to repeal two existing regulations for every new regulation they issue.

On January 31, Trump nominated U.S. Appeals Court judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the seat on the Supreme Court previously held by Justice Antonin Scalia until his death on February 13, 2016.

In April 2017, Trump ordered a missile strike against a Syrian airfield in retaliation for the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack

On May 9, 2017, Trump dismissed FBI director James Comey

First U.S. president to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem, during his first foreign trip.

On June 26, 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that the ban could be enforced on visitors who lack a "credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States".

Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, UAE designed by Olympic golf course architect, Gil Hanse, opened to rave reviews.

In August, Trump dramatically escalated his rhetoric against North Korea, warning that further provocations against the U.S. would be met with "fire and fury like the world has never seen

The temporary order was replaced by Presidential Proclamation 9645 on September 24, 2017, which permanently restricts travel from the originally targeted countries except Iraq and Sudan, and further bans travelers from North Korea and Chad, along with certain Venezuelan officials. After lower courts partially blocked the new restrictions, the Supreme Court allowed the September version to go into full effect on December 4, and ultimately upheld the travel ban in a June 2019 ruling.

Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6, 2017, despite criticism and warnings from world leaders. He subsequently opened a new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem in May 2018.

In December 2017, Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which cut the corporate tax rate to 21 percent, lowered personal tax brackets, increased child tax credit, doubled the estate tax exemption to $11.2 million, and limited the state and local tax deduction to $10,000.

In Trumps first 100 days in office, the U.S. national debt decreased by $100 billion, as opposed to Obama’s first 100 days where the debt grew by $560 billion.

2018

In April 2018, he announced missile strikes against Assad's regime, following a suspected chemical attack near Damascus.

On June 12, 2018, Trump and Kim held a summit in Singapore, resulting in North Korea affirming its promise to work toward complete denuclearization.

2019

In its 2019 billionaires ranking, Forbes estimated Trump's net worth at $3.1 billion (715th in the world, 259th in the U.S.) making him one of the richest politicians in American history and the first billionaire American president.

On June 30, 2019, Trump, Kim, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held brief talks in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, marking the first time a sitting U.S. president had set foot on North Korean soil. They agreed to resume negotiations.

In August 2019, a whistleblower filed a complaint with the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community about a July 25 phone call between Trump and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky

After the whistleblower complaint became known in September 2019, House speaker Nancy Pelosi initiated a formal impeachment inquiry on September 24. The Trump administration subsequently released a memorandum of the July 25 phone call, confirming that after Zelensky mentioned purchasing American anti-tank missiles, Trump asked Zelensky to investigate and to discuss these matters with Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr.

On September 27, 2019, Trump declared Mar-a-Lago his primary residence.

On December 3, 2019, the House Intelligence Committee published a report authored by Democrats on the committee, stating that "the impeachment inquiry has found that President Trump, personally and acting through agents within and outside of the U.S. government, solicited the interference of a foreign government.

On December 13, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to pass two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

After debate, the House of Representatives impeached Trump with both articles on December 18.

2020

Trump ordered a targeted U.S. airstrike which killed Iranian Major General and IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

On January 8, 2020, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched multiple ballistic missiles on two U.S. airbases in Iraq.

On February 5, Trump was acquitted of both impeachment charges, with Republican Mitt Romney being the only senator – and the first senator in U.S. history – to cross party lines by voting to convict on one of the charges.

Trump established the White House Coronavirus Task Force on January 29, 2020.

On February 29, 2020, the Trump administration signed a conditional peace agreement with the Taliban, which calls for the withdrawal of foreign troops in 14 months if the Taliban uphold the terms of the agreement.

On March 6, Trump signed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act into law, which provided $8.3 billion in emergency funding for federal agencies.

On March 13, Donald declared a national emergency, freeing up federal resources.

On October 2, 2020, Trump announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

At 2 a.m. the morning after the election, with the results still unclear, Trump declared victory.

On the morning of November 7 at approximately 11:30 a.m. EST, roughly three and a half days after polls had closed called the election for Biden, based on projections of votes in Pennsylvania showing him leading outside of the recount threshold (0.5% in that state).

Trump's allegations of widespread voting fraud were refuted by judges, state election officials, and his own administration's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). After CISA director Chris Krebs contradicted Trump's voting fraud allegations, Trump fired him on November 17.

2021

The House voted to impeach Trump for a second time on January 13. This time for incitement of insurrection against the U.S. government during the fake election protest on January 6, 2021. Again, after much wasted time and money the senate voted to acquit him.

Trump retired to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.