Donald Trump’s political comeback might not be an easy road, as legal cases against him still loom and presidential immunity can only guard him from acts done in official capacity. The President-elect Trump, ahead of his White House return, received a setback after a US judge on December 16 refused to nullify his conviction in a $130,000 hush money case related to a sex scandal. Trump had moved to the court claiming presidential immunity, citing a recent US Supreme Court ruling that protects Trump and future presidents from prosecution.
Will Ongoing Legal Liabilities Pressure President-Elect Donald Trump’s $6.5 Billion Fortune?
Although President-elect Donald Trump’s $500 million penalty might be digging holes into his pockets, the pillars still look strong from the outside
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However, the US judge rejected his claims and said the ruling only offered legal immunity for acts done in official capacity and not private ones, particularly those done as a political candidate.
A Dive into Trump’s Legal Controversies
This isn’t the first time that he has been in troubled waters due to legal cases. Apart from being convicted of 34 counts for falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money case, the incoming president is accused in two federal cases, including his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling of classified documents. He also has ongoing civil cases against him, like defamation, where in New York he was asked to pay $83 million as damages. The billionaire president-elect has been charged guilty of inflating the value of his business assets and is slapped with a $450 million penalty. Additionally, his role in fueling the attacks on the Capitol in 2021 has invited lawsuits against him by the injured US Capitol Police officers.
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The US SC ruling might shield him from criminal liabilities, but financial ones in ongoing civil cases are likely to persist. Although the penalty worth around $500 million might be digging holes into his pockets, the pillars look strong from the outside. Moreover, his $6.5 billion net worth, coming from real estate and his digital media ventures, is likely to shield him financially. So far, the brand that Donald Trump also remains largely untouched.
Donald Trump $6.5 Billion Empire Stands Tall
Businessman-turned-politician Trump is famous for his lavish lifestyle and is the richest president in US history. A major chunk of wealth is credited to his real estate business, which he inherited from his father, Fred Trump. Trump expanded the real estate business from residential units to hotels, casinos and golf courses across New York and quickly he became a brand name. His father focused more on building low-cost housing, but Trump took his real estate empire to constructing luxurious mansions. His golf course, Trump National Doral, adds around $123 million to Trump’s pocket and is reportedly the most expensive property owned by him globally.
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His business isn’t just limited to building tall towers across different countries, he also ventured into the film and entertainment industry as well. He started off as the owner of beauty pageants like Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA and then moved on to host NBC reality show ‘The Apprentice’. His reality show, ‘The Apprentice’, still contributes to his source of income, according to the financial disclosure forms submitted by the President-elect.
He also owns a media and technology company. The shares of his media company nearly tripled in value post the 2024 US election results, swelling Trump’s stake in it to $5 billion. Briefly, he also ventured into the airline business.
Earlier in March this year, Trump expanded his media business portfolio by launching a social media enterprise called Truth Social. According to AP, Trump’s social media platform is more valuable than billionaire Elon Musk-owned X.
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Trump has also invested significantly in financial markets, including stocks, index funds and bonds like US treasuries. According to the Monthly Finance report, the incoming US president has investments worth $100,000 in gold bars. He also believes that crypto is the future and has a cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial.
“Crypto is the future,” said Trump at the launch sales.
Apart from income from his business, the President-elect gets an annual pension of around $90,000 from the Screen Actors Guild.
Donald Trump has over the years made investments in Indian real estate, particularly in major Indian cities like Mumbai, Pune, Gurugram and Kolkata. His firm, Trump Tower, entered the Indian real estate sector in 2013 and within a decade's time, it has partnered with Indian firms like the Lodha Group, Panchshil Realty, M3M, Tribeca and Unimark.
Trump’s Friends-Family Fuel His Influence
While real estate might be the driver of Trump’s wealth, his family and friends are his real assets. His large family comprises his five children, one daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law and 10 grandchildren. His three eldest children are also his support when it comes to looking after his businesses. His model wife Melania Trump has a net worth of around $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth’s website. Tesla-owner Elon Musk currently seems to be Trump’s closest ally. Musk has been a key person, apart from Trump’s family members, when it comes openly and loudly supporting the president-elect during his presidential campaigns.
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