How to Fool All of the People, All of the Time

by John Connolly

he considers Trump “evil incarnate.”

“He’d lie

just for the pr...

a man addicted to d...

Donald Trump is not just some cartoon character, a guy with a comb-over and a press agent and a board game named after him; he is and always has been a real and fairly treacherous human being.

if journalists had been inclined to look, they could have found out the truth at any time.

What the media have ignored for purposes of assessing Trump’s wealth and ability, though, is that neither project was Trump’s alone.

But like a movie star with a couple of early hits, Trump traded on those successes for a decade.

Taking Resorts private was more an act of desperation than one of savvy.

In addition to overstating Trump’s profits, Fortune failed to list his losses for the period in question.

Trump’s investing methods were unorthodox.

This is how Donald Trump, capitalist genius and creator of wealth, made money: by shaving money for himself from absurd deals that would cost his companies dearly.

“[Trump] had the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Company do a special audit. The CPAs declared Trump had cash assets of $700,125,000 as of November 30, 1988. . . . So much for Trump’s not being as big as he says he is” —

DONALD TRUMP MADE cavalier use of other people’s money, he deceived without hesitation, he required more and more borrowing to maintain the illusion of success, and he utterly lacked business judgment.

Trump has had two worthwhile ventures — Trump Tower and the Grand Hyatt.

were profitable because of tax...

and Trump went into both with blue-chip corp...

What does Trump have to show for all his insanely public wheeling and dealing...

Even the Plaza Casino, which has been modestly profitable,...

Three-million-dollar loans to insolvent sons cannot.