Donald Trump may be the picture of wealth as he dons his signature golf clothes and works on improving his short game, but trouble is looming for the former US president. He is facing a barrage of lawsuits, is under financial pressure and his temper certainly hasn’t mellowed – he was recently busted on camera losing his cool on the golf course.
Here’s a glimpse of how the first three months of 2021 have looked for Trump.
The big wealth drop
The former US president’s net worth declined by almost US$300 million in the past year according to Bloomberg. The drop amounts to 10 per cent of his fortune since he took office, putting his net worth now at around US$2.7 billion. The drop has been attributed to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on property markets globally. The Trump office buildings, branded hotels and resorts lost revenue and property values as a result.
Mounting legal problems
As Trump’s wealth gets hit by the pandemic, his legal problems also continue to grow. The Washington Post counted that he faces at least 29 pending lawsuits involving him or one of his companies. CNN reports that his tax records are now also being investigated, with his bankers, lawyers and chief financial officer being subpoenaed.
Trump raised more than US$31 million for his post-presidential action committee, the funds of which can be used to help pay legal bills. But with more threats of lawsuits, Trump may have to dig into his own personal pocket to defend himself.
Golfing and gossiping
According to Newsweek, Trump spends much of his time playing golf at Mar-a-Lago, his luxurious golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump, who has yet to confirm whether he’ll run for president in 2024, hangs out with old pals, gossiping about what his next move will be. The publication claims Trump remains angry about his loss in the 2020 US presidential elections.
There are rumours that he has had a fallout with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who he apparently blames for his election loss, but sources close to Trump told Newsweek that these are false.
A tantrum caught on camera
Images of Trump smashing his golf club at the Trump International Golf Club recently went viral. Trump was spotted slamming his clubs in front of a group of friends, including pro golfer Bryson DeChambeau. According to HollywoodLife.com, the incident happened in mid-March. Trump was wearing his signature “Make America Great Again” cap with a white golf shirt and navy blue pants.
A social media return?
There’s been much speculation about what the Don’s next move will be after he was banned from popular social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter.
His 2020 campaign spokesperson Jason Miller said Trump planned on launching his own platform which would “redefine the game”, he told Fox News. Miller said the platform would be “big” and Trump will “draw tens of millions of people”.
Note: This story was originally published on SCMP and has been republished on this website.
