like to be as well informed as possible. However, when it comes to making a decision, I am aware that the full responsibility for that decision is, and will always remain, mine. That is why I proceed with caution, even if my image may be more flamboyant.
4:30 P.M. I have a meeting with Matthew Calamari, my chief of operations. He’s always a busy guy, but withThe Apprentice starting up soon, he’s busier than ever. I’m not concerned, because after knowing Matthew for more than twenty years, I am certain he can handle anything.
My son Eric stops by to say hello. He’s in college now but is visiting New York City for a couple of days. He sits in on my meeting with Matthew and then we chat for a bit. He’s got a great grin. I love it when my kids visit, and we decide to have dinner together tonight.
5:15 P.M. I write a welcome-back letter to the members of the Mar-a-Lago Club. We are finishing a new ballroom, and it will be magnificent. One visitor to the Mar-a-Lago Club remarked that F. Scott Fitzgerald and his friends would feel right at home there. I had to agree. I’m looking forward to the new season, and I fly down most weekends during the winter.
I return a few calls, including one to Larry King, one of the sharpest interviewers of all time; another to a reporter for the
John Myers, the president and CEO of GE Asset Management, calls in. He’s a terrific guy in every sense of the word, and we are active together with the Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation, along with Dale Frey, who preceded John at GE and likewise did an absolutely fantastic job. These are two guys worth knowing. Over the years, General Electric has been my partner in a number of my developments, including the very successful Trump International Hotel and Tower at 1 Central Park West.
6:00 P.M. I call Melania to see where we should take Eric for dinner. We decide on the 21 Club.
Norma comes in and we review some details of my deals, invitations, letters, and media requests, including those from a surprising number of international television programs and publications. Last year I did an interview for the number one program in China, which drew a huge audience. These facts continue to surprise me, probably because I am so focused on my immediate and daily responsibilities. I never found myself to be particularly fascinating.
The phones have quieted down, so I decide to go through a box I keep beside my desk where I put articles and letters of interest to me. Sometimes I’ll keep certain articles for years if I like them. I also keep letters and quotes, such as Hope is not a strategy. I saved an invitation from a speech I gave to the Wharton Business School Club about the future of New York City. I am always honored to speak to Wharton students and alumni.
I find nice notes from Dr. Jerry Buss of the Los Angeles Lakers, one terrific guy; Ed Malloy, an old friend I call Blue Eyes; and Harrison Tucker LeFrak, the next generation in a remarkable real estate family. Richard LeFrak, the son of Sam LeFrak, has done an amazing job in the real estate business. Likewise, his son Harrison will be one of the really great young people to watch. I have no doubt he will go right to the top.
There’s a clipping from Liza Minnelli and David Gest’s wedding, which I was honored to attend, even though I didn’t think the marriage had a chance, and letters from John F. Kennedy Jr. and Howard Schultz of Starbucks, as well as one from Clint Eastwood, a great guy and golfer. He was my guest at Mar-a-Lago. He liked my course in Florida and wrote to tell me that.
I come across a fax from Roger Ailes of Fox Network News. What a job he’s done, taking them to heights they’d probably never dreamed of.
During the march toward war in Iraq, someone sent me this joke: You know the world has changed when you realize the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, and Germany doesn’t want to go to war.
A review to savor, from Rick Remsnyder upon the opening of Trump National Golf Course: Trump National’s par 3 thirteenth hole, which features a breathtaking 100-foot man-made waterfall behind the green, is one of the most challenging and spectacular holes in the world. Music to my ears.
I love sports. I have one of Shaquille O’Neal’s oversized sneakers on display in my office and a signed baseball from my favorite team, the New York Yankees. I keep it near Tiffany’s drawing of a house. She’s already into real estate.
To Donald Trump—‘I wanna be like you when I grow up.’ Shaq.
Speaking of real estate: I’ve saved an article about how I sold the land under the Empire State Building for $57.5 million in March 2002. New York real estate can be a wonderful business. I’ve also clipped a profile of another great success story, developer Steve Witkoff, who owns the Woolworth Building and the News Building, in addition to valuable property in London. In an interview with a London newspaper, Steve described me as the only real estate person in this world who can brand his name individually. In my opinion, it’s not going to happen again. Donald is a master at marketing. But you can’t market and be a master at marketing unless you’ve got great product—it doesn’t work like that. They say ‘Coke are masters at marketing Coke,’ or ‘Nike, they’re masters at marketing Nike.’ You know what? They’ve got the best drink and the best sneakers. Well, Donald develops the best buildings. It’s a fact of life. He’s a great developer. No one wants to give him credit for that.
Finally, I come across a postcard from my gorgeous daughter Ivanka and an old postcard from my parents. I miss them. I still have two-thirds of the box to go through, but I’m on for dinner with Eric and Melania and I don’t want to be late.
7:00 P.M. I pick up a large pile of documents to take with me, say good night to Norma, turn off the lights, leave my office, and head up to my apartment. It’s been a good day. Business tip: Keep a box by your desk for mementos of the people and events that matter in your life and career. Reviewing the contents every now and then will keep you aware of your good fortune.
THURSDAY
8:30 A.M. This morning I have an interview with the legendary Barbara Walters, regarding the upcoming anniversary of September 11. All goes well; she’s professional and to the point, which always helps. I am also planning a surprise visit this morning to Barbara’s show,The View, as I have been the center of their discussions for a few days. They’ve been waiting for me to call them, which I haven’t done, as I think a personal appearance might be more fun, although they don’t know about it yet. If someone challenges you, always try to take the challenge and run with it.
9:15 A.M. I have a meeting with Elaine Diratz, the director of sales at Trump World Tower at the United Nations Plaza. This condominium tower experienced a lot of opposition while it was being built, but it has literally been a triumph, both nationally and internationally. Even though Herbert Muschamp ofThe New York Times has lauded it and it has recently won a coveted European award for design, that doesn’t mean we sit back in wonder at our good fortune. Everything requires upkeep, especially something of this caliber—plus it is in constant demand as a location site for films and television shows. Elaine and I troubleshoot the latest details.
9:45 A.M. Don Jr. comes in to update me on his work. He’s sharp and has some good insights on a few of our developments. It makes me think that maybe he’s paid attention all these years after all. Norma comes in to tell me I should get going.
10:00 A.M. Brian and I go over to the ABC studios on the West Side, to tape a special segment with Regis Philbin. It’s a beautiful day and the city is sparkling—and as ever, so are Regis and Kelly.
11:00 A.M. I am lurking in the studios of Barbara Walters’s showThe View, where I see Sharon Stone, who is a scheduled guest. At the top of the program, they are still discussing my hair and why I haven’t called them back. Joy Behar mentions that here she is, still waiting for some guy to call, and Meredith Vieira mentions that expecting Donald Trump to call her back might be expecting too much. This conversation continues for a while—will he call?, won’t he call?—and then I decide to just walk out onto the set. The audience shrieks when they see me, and Joy is, well, not exactly overjoyed but certainly surprised. I receive a very warm welcome from Barbara, Star, and Meredith, and I think Joy is relieved to know that I’m not at all in a huff over her remarks. I even let her touch and rearrange my hair and explain that while it may not be great hair, it’s mine, and it’s fine with me. We have a good time, and I think we’ll all have to agree that a visit is better than a phone call.
12:00 P.M. Steve Wynn is here to visit me. We chat for a while and then I take him on a tour of
