More Revelations On The Donald, AKA, The Trumpanzee

-by Helen Klein

A recent article by Kathy Kiely about a new book, The Making of Donald Trump by David Cay Johnston, sheds further light on The Donald, the most emotionally unstable and dangerous man ever to run for President of the United States. Recently much has been said about Trump’s mental health, or lack thereof. This book depicts more of Donald, the person. It reveals who has influenced him and what he has been like over the years... and, predictably, it is not a pretty picture. As if we need more horrifying and disturbing revelations about The Donald: every day the daily headlines share the newest awful statement he has made. Descriptions and examples cited in the book depict an unbelievably cruel, nasty person with a laser-like focus on revenge against anyone who thwarts him. Above all, he is intent on his own success to the detriment of everyone else. He has ruined the lives of many people. His delight in the troubles he causes is despicable.

Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter who has been following Trump for decades, describes his new book as, “basically everything Donald Trump wants to make sure you do not know.” He probably has the largest Trump document collection in the world. Johnston has been unhappy about the way the press has been handling Donald and decided to tackle the problem himself.

The Donald’s grandfather was a German immigrant who, “ran a ‘whorehouse.’” His father “was an industrious businessman with some unfortunate views… in 1927, Fred Trump was arrested at a Ku Klux Klan meeting in Queens-- something his son has tried furiously to deny.” During the run up to the Republican convention, Trump’s vague statements about the Ku Klux Klan and David Duke were mistruths (outright lies?), pure and simple.



Years later, Fred Trump was in trouble for “bilking a federal housing program for returning GIs. [He] was ordered by the federal government to stop discriminating against African Americans who were trying to rent apartments he owned.” Donald’s attempt to get the allegations of racial bias thrown out of the courts was unsuccessful. The case was eventually settled. It is important to note that representing Fred Trump in this lawsuit was Roy Cohn, a former aide to Joseph McCarthy, the right wing, disgraced, Communist witch hunter. Johnston sees Trump’s association with Cohn as part of a disturbing pattern-- Cohn “taught Donald how to hurt people.” What a role model!

Johnston expresses alarm about Trump’s associations. “We have never had a major party candidate for president with the kind of relationships Donald Trump has. While some past presidents have had unsavory friends and business associations, “They were not the Mob. They were not drug traffickers.” At a Press Club event, Johnston raised questions about Trump’s ties to Felix Sater, “a Russian-born stock fraudster and admitted fellow traveler with the Mob. Sater is now a defendant in a tax fraud case; papers unsealed earlier this month name Trump and two of his children as ‘material witnesses.’”

“Vindictiveness is a point of pride for Trump,” said Johnston. “His personal motto is ‘get revenge.’” The extent of his vindictiveness is YUGE and a nightmare for those who have experienced it. It is hard to contemplate such a vicious human being, let alone one who won his party’s nomination.

Two examples noted in the article show his cruelty and complete lack of compassion as well as his glee at others’ distress by his own hand.

When his nephew and his wife challenged Fred Trump’s will, which had cut them out, Trump purposely removed their ailing child from the family’s medical insurance policy. When asked by a reporter why he did this, Trump said, “I can’t help that.” A court later restored it.

When a female employee refused to call a banker friend on his behalf, Trump fired her. “She ended up losing her home. Her husband, who was only in it for the money, walked out on her and I was glad… I can’t stomach disloyalty… and now I go out of my way to make her life miserable.”

Johnston is an expert on tax law and lectures on this at Syracuse University. There are many reasons for Donald’s reluctance to release his tax returns. Based on some leaked documents, “In all likelihood, Donald has paid no federal income taxes for years” and he has benefitted from gaping tax loopholes for real estate developers. His lack of charitable giving to his own family foundation is notable. While certainly rich, he is reluctant to reveal his true net worth, which is likely much less that he intimates. “Trump’s chief talent lies in ‘making deals to bring in money that supports a lifestyle’ fit for a billionaire. How many billionaires, who you really know are billionaires, do you see out hawking ties, steaks, bottled water and board games?”

Besides being a self-absorbed, narcissistic, emotionally unstable, ignorant person who is totally unequipped for the role as President of the United States, Trump is an awful human being. His history of cruelty, vindictiveness and revenge makes sense in light of his current behavior and unbelievably horrifying statements that are increasingly alienating many Americans. He is being true to form. He has always been this way. What you see is what you get.

Let’s hope he is crushed in the November election. Let’s show him he is a big loser, instead of a big winner.