Bibles, cryptocurrency, Truth Social and gold bars: A look at Trump’s reported sources of income
Former President Trump owns more than $1 million worth of cryptocurrency and up to $250,000 in gold bars along with his portfolio of golf courses and real estate properties, according to newly released financial disclosures.
The details come from recently released documents filed by Trump’s presidential campaign. The more than 200 pages of paperwork give a limited picture of the former president’s money and investments. In accordance with federal law, most assets’ values are listed in a range, though Trump reports the precise figure for some of his income.
The document does not detail his business losses, making it impossible to determine how much of a profit any of his myriad holdings provides.
But it provides a glimpse at Trump’s wealth and some new details about the unusual ways he makes money.
Unusual investments and sources of income
Trump reported earning $300,000 from sales of an edition of the Bible that he and country singer Lee Greenwood endorsed. He also earned $4.4 million in royalties from a book called “Letters to Trump” and $500,000 from one called “A MAGA Journey.” Trump still receives royalties on a number of other books, including “The Art of the Deal,” which came out in 1987 and netted him $50,000 to $100,000 in the last year.
As a onetime member of the Screen Actors Guild, Trump receives an annual pension of $90,776.
Trump’s fame comes from real estate, but his current biggest asset is probably his media company that operates the social media network Truth Social. The company went public in March, and Trump reports owning more than 114 million shares in the firm. He is currently unable to sell the shares as part of a “lockup” agreement preventing major shareholders from selling stock for six months after it goes public, but with company stock at about $23 per share Friday, his holdings are worth more than $2 billion.
Some of Trump’s other investments are also unusual. He reports having $1 million to $5 million worth of the cryptocurrency ethereum, a noteworthy holding because he’s vowed to lift regulations on the cryptocurrency industry should he return to the White House.
Trump also reported earning $7.15 million in licensing fees from NFT INT, which appears to be a firm selling digital tokens. His wife, Melania, earned $330,000 from selling NFTs, according to the report.
The former president also reported owning $100,000 to $250,000 in gold bars.
Those assets are dwarfed by investments in traditional stocks and municipal and school bonds, as well as his real estate holdings.
Broad business empire
Trump reports a wide range of companies and investments that span the globe. Many appear to simply be trademark claims in countries including Argentina, Belarus, Cuba and India. Others generate money for him, including more than $3 million in income that he reported from licenses in Dubai and more than $2 million in Oman.
Trump’s golf courses also make money for him, including $37 million from his club in Bedminster, N.J., where he adddressed the media on Thursday; $31 million from his golf club in Jupiter, Fla.; and 26 million British pounds (the equivalent of $33.5 million) worth of revenue from his Turnberry course in Scotland.
Donald Trump has recently adopted an old playbook for getting attention: Standing in front of the media to talk smack, tell lies and generate headlines.
Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida generated more than $56 million in income, according to the report.
Melania Trump received a $237,000 payment for speaking to the gay conservative group Log Cabin Republicans in April.
Noteworthy debts
Trump lists several debts, including one stemming from litigation against him by the New York attorney general’s office alleging business fraud and two more from a magazine writer.
Another jury last May found Trump liable for sexual abuse and ordered him to pay $5 million.
A jury in 2023 found Trump liable for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll in 1996, and a second jury this year found he slandered her when he continued to deny it.
Trump lists his debts to Carroll as between $1 million and $5 million and more than $50 million, the highest category available. The lawsuit judgments against him were for $5 million and $88 million, respectively. Trump is appealing the verdicts.
Likewise, Trump lists his debt to the New York attorney general’s office as more than $50 million. He owes nearly $500 million in the civil fraud judgment and is appealing that verdict as well.
Riccardi writes for the Associated Press.
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