Know about U.S. President Donald Trump

U.S. President, real estate mogul and former reality TV star Donald John Trump was born in 1946, in Queens, New York. In 1971, he became involved in large, profitable building projects in Manhattan. In 1980, he opened the Grand Hyatt, which made him the city's best-known developer. In 2004,

Trump began starring in the hit NBC reality series The Apprentice, which also spawned the offshoot The Celebrity Apprentice. Trump turned his attention to politics, and in 2015 he announced his candidacy for president of the United States on the Republican ticket. After winning a majority of the primaries and caucuses, Trump became the official Republican candidate for president on July 19, 2016. That November, Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States, after defeating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Early Life and Education

Donald John Trump was born on June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York, the fourth of five children of Frederick C. and Mary MacLeod Trump. Frederick Trump was a builder and real estate developer who specialized in constructing and operating middle-income apartments in Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn. Donald was an energetic, assertive child, and his parents sent him to the New York Military Academy at age 13, hoping the discipline of the school would channel his energy in a positive manner. 

Trump did well at the academy, both socially and academically, rising to become a star athlete and student leader by the time he graduated in 1964. He then entered Fordham University and two years later transferred to the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1968 with a degree in economics. During his years at college, Trump secured education deferments for the Vietnam War draft and ultimately a 1-Y medical deferment after he graduated.

Reality TV & Political Ambitions

On October 7, 1999, Trump announced the formation of an exploratory committee to inform his decision whether or not to seek the Reform Party's nomination for the presidential race of 2000. However, after a poor showing during the California primary, Trump withdrew his candidacy. It would not quell his political aspirations, however.

In 2004 Trump took advantage of his high-profile persona when he began producing and starring in the NBC reality series The Apprentice, in which contestants competed for a management position within the Trump Organization. The show quickly became a hit and made famous Trump's television catchphrase "You're fired." The success of the show resulted in numerous spin-offs, including The Celebrity Apprentice that showcased well-known figures as contestants.

In 2012, Trump's flirtation with politics resumed when he publicly announced he was considering running for president again. However, his prior association with the "Birther" movement, a fringe group that staunchly believed President Barack Obama was not born in the United States, seemingly discredited his political reputation. 

Beginning in early 2011, Trump expressed doubts about the validity of Obama�s birth country to media outlets. To quell the staunch outcry from birtherists, Obama eventually released his birth certificate in April 2011, verifying that he was born in the United States. Regardless, Trump continued to be a vocal critic of President Obama�not only regarding his place of birth�but also on a variety of his policies. In the years since, Trump continued to question the president's birthplace through his 2012 reelection.

In 2013, Trump tweeted that a Hawaiian State Health Director, who died of cardiac arrhythmia following a plane crash, was somehow connected to a cover-up of the president's birth certificate. In 2016, as he began to clinch his own nomination as the GOP candidate for president, Trump toned down his stance, telling CNN, �I have my own theory on Obama. Someday I will write a book.� Later that fall, feeling pressure from his campaign advisors to put the conspiracy theory to rest as part of a strategy to appeal to minority voters, Trump issued a statement conceding that the president was indeed born in the U.S. In his statement, Trump also blamed his presidential rival, Hillary Clinton, on the matter: "Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it. I finished it. You know what I mean," Trump stated. "President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period.�

Historic Presidential Election

In a stunning victory that defied polls, Trump won the majority of electoral college votes and was elected the 45th president of the United States on November 8, 2016. After one of the most contentious presidential races in U.S. history, Trump's surprising rise to the office of president was considered a resounding rejection of establishment politics by blue-collar and working class Americans. In his victory speech delivered at 2:30 am the following morning at the Hilton Hotel in New York City, Trump said: �I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans."

"As I�ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but rather an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their families," Trump said about his supporters.

He also spoke to the Americans who did not vote for him. "For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I�m reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country.�

Trump acknowledged his opponent, who called him to concede, saying: �Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely.�

He ended his victory speech with a promise to the country. "We�re going to get to work immediately for the American people," he said. "And we�re going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your president. You�ll be so proud. Again, it�s my honor. It was an amazing evening. It�s been an amazing two-year period. And I love this country."