Donald Trump's Business Empire Worth At Least $1.2 Billion Since He Left Office

Former President Donald Trump values his business empire at a minimum of $1.2 billion, a federal document released Friday showed, as he cashed in from speaking engagements and ventures such as digital trading cards after he left office.

His empire generated at least $282 million over 2021 and most of 2022, according to the 101-page financial disclosure report filed with the Federal Election Commission as he campaigns for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Exact figures are difficult to ascertain - both because many of Trump's holdings are in illiquid real estate assets and because federal disclosures require reporting only in broad ranges, with the top one over $50 million. There were 19 assets Trump valued in that range, including his golf clubs in Virginia and Turnberry, Scotland.

Still, the filing showed that Trump, who highlighted his business experience during his first White House campaign, remains a wealthy man and has found ways to profit from his political career during his post-presidency. He made as much as $1 million from selling the digital trading cards featuring cartoon images of him in superhero poses.

The value of his holdings in Trump Media & Technology Group Corp., the parent company of his Twitter-like Truth Social website, was $25 million to $50 million. Trump owns 90% of the company, which is seeking regulatory approval to be acquired by the blank-check company Digital World Acquisition Corp.

Trump didn't disclose those who paid him more than $5 million in speaking fees. In 2016, he criticized his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, for earning millions for giving speeches to corporate clients such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc., payments she made public. Candidates are required to disclose any source paying them $5,000 or more during the filing period.

Trump listed debts totaling at least $225 million. That included mortgages of more than $50 million he took on Trump Tower in New York and Trump National Doral in Florida in 2022 from Axos Bank. He paid off at least $165 million in debts, including loans from Deutsche Bank on Trump Tower and the former Trump International Hotel in Washington, which he sold.

Melania Trump, who made little outside income while she was first lady, has also fared well after leaving the White House. She reported between $1 million to $5 million through royalties from her modeling career and from a line of limited-edition digital artworks known as nonfungible tokens or NFTs.

The filing, which also lists the former president's investments, covers 2021 and most of 2022. Trump was granted two extensions in filing the report and submitted it just before the deadline to avoid a $200 fine.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)