The Trump Name

The Trump name alone carries weight, and has done so for years. Trump's father made a fortune and created a family dynasty that outlasted his lifetime. Donald Trump further polished the image and worked at making himself into a public figure. He succeeded completely, to the point that the tabloids were interested in Trump's personal life long before his bid for president.

The name is so valuable that people seek out Trump's permission to lend his name to various projects, knowing that the name alone will make the project more valuable. That is seen in two building developments described by the author – one just off the California coast and one in Hawaii. The Trump children personally touted the one in California and Trump's image appeared on brochures for the one in Hawaii. Buyers paid in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for the privilege of living...