Donald Trump's Net Worth Fell by a Third During His Presidency, Forbes Says
Former President Donald Trump lost almost one-third of his wealth over the course of his time in office, leaving him more than $1 billion worse off after four years in the White House.
Trump's fortune fell from $3.5 billion to $2.4 billion between entering office in January 2017 and departing the White House less than three months ago, according to Forbes.
Several of Trump's major properties suffered declines in value, as did his hotel management and licensing business. However, his Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, saw a considerable improvement in net value.
Trump did not divest himself of his businesses when he took office. This decision was controversial and was a cause for persistent questions about ethical issues.
Forbes senior editor Dan Alexander pointed out on Tuesday that if the former president had chosen to divest and invested in the stock market, he would now be significantly richer.
"If he had sold everything on Day 1, paid the maximum capital-gains taxes on the sales, then put the proceeds into a conflict-free fund tracking the S&P 500, Trump would have ended his presidency an estimated $1.6 billion richer than he is today," Alexander wrote.
In its 2021 list of billionaires, Forbes ranks Trump No. 1,299. He was ranked No. 1001 on the 2020 list. In 2017, Trump ranked No. 544.
Amazon's Jeff Bezos is ranked number one, with a net worth of $177 billion.
Several of Trump's landmark properties have also suffered a decline in their net value since he entered office. His property at East 57th Street in New York City, just off Fifth Avenue, saw a decline in value of $217 million over the course of his presidency.
Formerly one of the "busiest retail locations in the world", according to Forbes, it is now worth $148 million. Tiffany (the jewelry retailer, rather than his daughter) is currently subleasing a space once occupied by Nike but they are due to leave by 2022. His building on Wall Street and Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida have also lost value.
Trump's business licensing his own name has seen a significant decline over the last four years, losing $163 million for a current valuation of $57 million. The Trump name was dropped from several buildings while he was in office.
However, Trump's Mar-a-Lago club and resort—perhaps his most famous property and where the former president now resides—has gained in value by $75 million in the last four years.
The Palm Beach resort now has a value of $250 million. Trump bought the historic property in 1985 for around $10 million. The former president's decision to live there permanently has proven controversial with some of the locals.
It's a similar story at the property at California St. in San Francisco, where Trump owns a 30 percent stake. The three-building complex has added $102 million in value over four years for a total valuation of $1.9 billion.
