Grand Central Station, New York City
It was a fire sale at the Penn Central Railroad. People had turned from three days travel by train to one day flight on the plane to get them from here to there. Penn Central's owners declared bankruptcy. Prestige locations such as their terminal in New York and its once swank Commodore Hotel were up for bid.
Penn Central rail yard in Manhattan
What developers most prized was the railroad's massive freight yard smack dab in the middle of Manhattan, prime real estate adjacent to the city's theater district, skyscrapers and toney Riverside Drive.
Donald Trump with Mayor Koch and Governor Cary
A brash young graduate of the Wharton School at Penn State showed up to join in on the big stakes bidding. Donald Trump soon realized he wasn't going anywhere unless he learned to be nice to the local politicians.
Friedrich Trump immigrated from Germany in 1903
Among those leaving Germany for America was a barber named Friedrich. He was fleeing a mandatory military draft. Friedrich Trump felt all these wars were barbaric. Shrewd investments around Coney Island enabled him to leave his children a half million dollars.
Fred Trump made his fortune building apartments
Fred Trump was a self made man. He was tough on his kids because he knew what it would take for his sons to match his standard for success.
Roy Cohn was Senator McCarthy's legal advisor
Donald Trump's mentor, Roy Cohn, was instrumental in convicting Julius and Ethel Rosenberg as spies and had them executed as traitors. Wisconsin's senator, Joe McCarthy, used Cohn's talents in unearthing America's Communists.
Ivana with cosmetics founder Estee Lauder
Ivana Trump knew how to match wits with her husband, Donald. She saw herself as a vital partner in their business enterprise.
Roy Cohn advised Trump to write up a 'gold digger' prenuptial for his own self preservation.
Trump Tower
Here's Donald Trump validating himself before his dad.
"I will see your business prowess and raise you with world class style."
Mayor Koch with Bella Abzug and Jimmy Carter
It took years to get anything done when up against the old boy politics of city hall. Reformists don't appreciate your attitude. So now you're left to kowtow and dance about while handing out gifts and flatteries for all the gathered grifters.
Union leader John Cody could close you down
If Teamster John Cody feels slighted you get your jobsite shut down. And Mr. Cody is a sensitive guy. We're on Strike!
Then there's the Mob - the Five Families of NYC. No matter what business you do here, you do business with organized crime.
Two part article on Trump runs in 1979
It didn't take long before the media began to notice Donald Trump. He's young, successful, brash. He's a rare businessman flamboyant enough for most any tabloid.
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