Everything You Need to Know About Trump's Presidential Bid
Whether you are a disgruntled citizen, a nighttime TV talk show host, a skeptic, a supporter, or anything in between, the truth is evident: all eyes are on Donald Trump these days. The outspoken billionaire developer-turned-reality star announced his bid on June 16, delivering a speech that drew eye rolls, intrigue and ire. It seems everyone has an opinion about Trump, and something tells us he likes it that way. So it's a good thing you have Bisnow to recap everything you need to know about the presidential bid of the Greatest. Presidential candidate. In. The world! (Insert hand gestures).
The Basics
Party: Republican (although he won't promise he won't run independently if not chosen as Republican candidate)
Campaign Manager: Corey Lewandowski
Slogan: "Make America Great Again" borrowed from Ronald Reagan's slogan in 1980.
The Doubters and the Believers
This isn't the first time Trump has thrown his hat in the ring. He declared a possible run for president in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. He also announced he was thinking about running for governor in 2006 and in 2014. So it makes sense that there are a few who don't take him seriously. But for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction, and for every doubter there's a mogul like Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who believes Trump is "the best thing to happen to politics in a long, long time." For the record, Cuban also told CNN he could crush both Trump and Hillary Clinton if he were running.
The Intrigue
To say that Trump has captured the attention of America may be putting it mildly. Not long after announcing his bid he was already the most Googled GOP candidate. He's also been steadily leading in the polls...and not by a small margin. A recent CBS News poll shows that 27% of Republican primary voters support Trump. That's six percentage points higher then Ben Carson, who's in second place. Everyone else isn't even close, coming up in the single digits.
What's more, 70% of the voters polled reported finding the presidential race interesting, compared to just 40% in October 2011, and 35% believe Trump has the best chance of winning in November 2016. Seven in 10 primary voters said they would support Trump if he were the Republican Party nominee. 29% would support him enthusiastically and 42% would support him with reservations.
If those numbers aren't convincing enough, consider this: organizers for a Friday night pep rally for Trump in Mobile, AL, had to move the event from the Civic Center to a 43,000-seat stadium to accommodate the 30,000 supporters who came out to see him. The Donald made a big, Trump-like entrance, looping around the stadium in his private jet as the crowd cheered.
His presence most likely also contributed to the 23 million viewers who tuned in for the Republican debate in September, which became CNN's most highly watched program in history. To put that number in perspective, CNN's most viewed contest before that debate was a Democratic presidential debate in January 2008, which drew a little more than 8 million viewers.
The Branding
Naturally, the man whose name is boldly displayed on towers across the nation didn't pass up the opportunity to market himself on the campaign trail. He applied for a trademark for his slogan "Make America Great Again" back in November 2012, which indicates some foresight. Trump received the trademark in July of this year, although it only extends to PAC services. In August he began sporting a red cap with his slogan on it. The cap is available on his campaign website for $25 and it quickly sold out. It was also apparently a big seller for places like CafePress, which sold ripoffs for as cheap as $4.99, before Trump threatened legal action. That's right. Don't mess with The Donald. On Aug. 13, Trump applied for another trademark that covers nearly everything from bumper stickers to onesies (just in time for Christmas, y'all!).
The Controversies
Trump's campaign has already faced its fair share of backlash, starting with the announcement of his candidacy. Trump kicked off his campaign with some disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants, prompting many corporations to sever ties with the tycoon, like Macy's and NBC—home of the Miss Universe Organization's pageants and his show The Apprentice. He also came under fire for comments he made about Fox correspondent Megyn Kelly after she challenged him during a GOP debate in August regarding remarks he's made about women. And he offended many by saying Sen. John McCain is not really a war hero because he got caught, stating, "I like people who weren't captured." Most recently, he and media mogul Barry Diller exchanged words, with Trump calling Diller a "sad and pathetic figure," after Diller threatened to either leave the country or join the resistance if Trump "doesn't fall." The spotlight on Trump is also making it easier for groups like The Potomac Conservancy to get signatures for a petition asking him to replace 450 clear-cut trees that were sacrificed to give his Virginia golf course a better view.
One Trump controversy not sparked by Trump: Lauren Rose Batchelder, a citizen who confronted Trump about his seemingly anti-woman views, only to ultimately be exposed as a Jeb Bush intern.
The Apprentice
After terminating their relationship with The Donald, NBC turned to the Terminator himself. The show's new host will be Arnold Schwarzenegger. We're imagining his catch phrase will be something like "Hasta la vista, baby." He's also testing out "You won't be back" and "You're terminated."
The Family
If Trump becomes president, the first family will include wife Melania, children Ivanka Trump (and son-in-law Jared Kushner); Eric Trump; Tiffany Trump; Donald Trump Jr.; and Barron Trump, who will likely be the only one in the White House.
The Money
Forbes has The Donald listed as one of the top 10 real estate billionaires. Trump says he's worth over $10B, Bloomberg's Billionaires Index estimates it's closer to $2.9B, and Forbes settles in at roughly $4B.
The Latest
Yesterday Trump apparently agreed to stop using Aerosmith's "Dream On" on the campaign trail. He is also trying on some new hats as of late, including Democratic debate live-tweeter and SNL host (on Nov. 7).
