How Many Failed Businesses Has Donald Trump Had?
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When people hear the name Donald Trump, they usually think of big buildings, gold signs, TV shows, and, of course, politics. But before he was president, Trump was mostly known for being a businessman. He called himself a success story, but not every business he started worked out. So if you're wondering how many failed businesses Donald Trump has had, the answer isn't just one number — it’s a story of risk, ambition, and a whole lot of headlines.
There Have Been Several Failed Business Ventures By Donald Trump That Gained Public Attention And Media Coverage Over The Years
Donald Trump has been involved in hundreds of business deals over his lifetime, but not all of them ended in profits. In fact, some were complete disasters. From casinos and airlines to steaks and a university, Trump has had a long list of projects that either shut down, filed for bankruptcy, or just didn’t take off.
Even though he had some big wins in real estate, especially early on with buildings like Trump Tower in New York, he also took a lot of chances on businesses outside of real estate — and many of those didn’t work out.
The Business Called Trump Steaks Was Marketed As A High-End Product But Ended Quickly After Poor Sales And Negative Feedback
Back in 2007, Trump launched a product called Trump Steaks. They were sold through the Sharper Image catalog and website, which was kind of strange because that store usually sold electronics, not food. The steaks were super expensive and marketed as luxury meat, but the reviews were not great, and the whole thing ended quickly. People didn’t want to pay that much for steaks they couldn’t even try before buying.
Sharper Image pulled the product, and the business quietly ended. Trump Steaks became one of those ideas that sounded flashy at first but just didn’t work in the real world.
Donald Trump Tried To Make A Luxury Airline With Trump Shuttle But The Business Could Not Compete And Failed After A Few Years
In 1989, Trump purchased a little airline and renamed it the Trump Shuttle. It was the glitzy, upscale airline for business travelers in the Northeast. He installed gold trimmings and put his name everywhere. Operating an airline is costly, and Trump borrowed a great deal of money to get it running.
It never turned a profit, and a few years later, lenders seized control. In 1992, the Trump Shuttle had vanished. It was one of the first major instances of a business bearing the Trump name failing in a competitive marketplace.
Business Name: Sparkly Maid Chicago
Business Number: (224) 214-0145
Business Email: support@sparklymaid.com
Business Address: Chicago, IL
Trump’s Big Plans In Atlantic City With Multiple Casinos Ended Up In Bankruptcy And Financial Trouble After Years Of Struggles
One of the most well-known parts of Trump’s business past is his casino empire in Atlantic City. In the 1980s and 1990s, he opened Trump Plaza, Trump Castle, and the massive Trump Taj Mahal. At first, they were huge and flashy, attracting crowds. But running casinos isn’t easy, and Trump took on a ton of debt to build them.
Over the years, the casinos began to lose money. Trump Entertainment Resorts ended up filing for bankruptcy several times, starting in 1991. Trump said he left the companies before they failed, but his name was still attached to the deals. By the mid-2010s, all of the casinos were either closed or no longer had anything to do with Trump.
Trump University Promised Real Estate Success To Students But Faced Lawsuits And Shut Down After Claims Of Misleading Practices
He even attempted a foray into education with the so-called Trump University. It wasn’t a genuine college but rather a series of pricey seminars that purportedly taught one how to succeed in real estate, à la Trump. Students paid thousands in the belief they were learning from the masters.
But almost immediately, problems began. Students complained it was a scam and the promises weren't kept. Lawsuits ensued, and in 2016, Trump settled the case for $25 million without acknowledging wrongdoing. His university shut down, and it counted as one of the more ignominious failures in his business record.
Even Though Donald Trump Had Some Successes, His List Of Business Failures Shows How Many Of His Ideas Did Not Go As Planned
It’s hard to pin down an exact number of failed businesses Trump has had, mostly because some of the companies weren’t public or didn’t make the news when they failed. But overall, there have been at least a dozen that clearly didn’t work, and even more that were quietly shut down.
Business Name: Sparkly Maid Chicago
Business Number: (224) 214-0145
Business Email: support@sparklymaid.com
Business Address: Chicago, IL
