Watch Trump Become Trump
See the Entire Documentary that the GOP Frontrunner Tried to Suppress
During the Republican debate on Thursday night, most viewers found out for the first time that Donald Trump was accused of hiring illegal voters to build his signature building in New York. WhoWhatWhy readers already knew.
Ahead of the first nominating contests of the year, we ran a series of excerpts from a suppressed documentary on Trump. It was made a quarter century ago but we felt it was highly relevant because it showed sides of the brash mogul that few people knew about — and he did not want anyone to see.
Now that Trump is the clear frontrunner to win the Republican nomination, we present all 12 segments of the documentary one more time, so that readers can see how The Donald got to where he is now.
The Documentary that Donald Trump Tried to Suppress:
Donald Trump likes to portray himself as a winner. But in this never-before-aired documentary, we see a much more flawed and tragic figure, whose failures and operating practices warrant close scrutiny.
Part 2: Trump’s Escape Across the River
Donald Trump not only inherited millions from his father — he learned that getting sued was just part of doing business.
Part 3: Trump Rides His Dad’s Coattails to Manhattan
In New York, political connections are key. Thanks to his father, Donald Trump knew the right people — and he rode those connections all the way to the top. Along with his shrewd business sense, they helped him soar.
Part 4: Trump Builds Himself a Monument
The Donald built Trump Tower with a winning strategy: Get somebody else to finance it, work your connections, and get help from taxpayers.
After Trump buys an occupied apartment building in the early 1980s, he has only one problem: the tenants. They stand up to his attempt to bully them — and hand The Donald his first big loss.
Part 6: Trump’s Foray into Football Falls Flat
Having amassed a fortune and established himself in New York, Trump wanted to conquer the world of sports in the mid-80s. But his attempt to get an NFL franchise failed.
As with everything else in Trump’s life, only the best would do — and that’s why the young couple enhanced the resume of Trump’s first wife, Ivana.
Donald Trump’s huge error in a Florida business deal raises the question: Beyond his skill at getting attention, how good is he with the actual art of checking out deals — or policies — before going ahead with them?
Part 9: What Kind of Man Is Donald Trump Off Camera?
A man who worked closely with Trump said he had seen him treat people horribly, and subjected his own family to “extraordinary verbal assaults.” How he treated three loyal employees after their death may be even more telling.
Part 10: Trumpopoly — Playing with House Money and Still Losing
Donald Trump likes to play by his own rules, even if that means bending those of society. And for anyone who dares defy him, he’s got a lawsuit waiting.
Part 11: Trump Dreams Big and Comes Up Short
When Donald Trump bought a plot of land on Manhattan’s West Side, he had a grandiose vision of constructing the world’s tallest building. But a celebrity-led coalition of New Yorkers stood up to him.
Part 12: It’s All or Nothing for Trump
Trump exists in a world of extremes — there is winning and then there is everything else. And 25 years ago a prescient journalist offered a chilling vision of how it all might end
Related front page panorama photo credit: Adapted by WhoWhatWhy from Trump: The Movie
