Frederick Christ Trump Sr. (October 11, 1905 – June 25, 1999) was a prominent American real estate developer who played a critical role in shaping the residential landscape of New York City. He was the patriarch of the Trump family, including his son Donald Trump, who later became the 45th and 47th president of the United States, along with four other children.
Born to German immigrants in the Bronx, Trump began his career in the 1920s, immersing himself in home construction and sales. He ultimately took the helm of the family real estate business, which evolved into the Trump Organization. Under his leadership, the firm achieved significant success, constructing and managing thousands of residential units, including single-family homes in Queens and apartments for wartime workers during World War II, totaling over 27,000 apartments in New York.
Trump's business practices drew scrutiny, leading to investigations by a U.S. Senate committee in 1954 and the New York State in 1966 for alleged profiteering. In 1971, Donald took charge of the family business, and shortly thereafter, they faced a lawsuit from the U.S. Justice Department for racial discrimination.
In a testament to his wealth, Fred and his wife Mary reportedly provided their children with over $1 billion (adjusted for 2018 inflation), strategically minimizing gift taxes. Before his passing, he transferred ownership of most of his properties to his children, who later sold them for significantly higher values. Notably, despite an arrest at a Ku Klux Klan rally in 1927, there is no concrete evidence linking Trump to the organization, and he distanced himself from his German roots post-World War II while also supporting Jewish causes.
