The Tale of Trump's Trump cards in the US elections

Former attorney of Trump, Michael Cohen mentions, “Trump never expected to win the primary. He never expected to win the general election. The campaign for him was always a marketing opportunity"

What do you make of the US Presidential Elections 2020? A classic Game of Thrones? A competitive House of Cards? A play whose end was prophesized, admonished, reprimanded and even rebuffed at different points during the election – but what do these results mean for Trump? Has he really lost? Or was it just an expensive and extensive infomercial as claimed by his former attorney? While some claim that losing the highest position in the world is a terrible loss, some believe it to be a blessing in disguise for the former President. Let us try to decipher whose claims make more sense:

Due to extensive media reporting and the obsession of entire world with the US Presidential elections, people like you and me missed out many facts out in the plain sight – facts which will also help us reach the final verdict of Trump’s fate after losing the Oval Office.

Missed Out Fact#1: Trump is many things, but foremost of all, he is a true businessman – at heart & in actions. Trump might be leaving the Oval Office as a loser, but he is still the owner of a business worth billions (No, not millions, but billions!). Owner of many consumer facing properties like Trump National Doral in Miami – a 4-star posh resort hotel on 800 acres with a spa, 4 golf courses, pools and dining – Trump seems to have his hands full. Besides Trump’s Hotel portfolio, the Trump condo and real estate portfolio is also quite impressive. To give you a fair idea, Trump’s businesses generated at least $446.3 million in sales in 2019 alone! While some of his business generated lower revenues since he assumed Office, Trump will finally get time to reboot his business empire now.

Missed Out Fact#2: Trump isn’t just another US President, he is a celebrity: Unlike his former counterparts, Trump has always been great at putting up a show. Considering his outspoken personality and millions of followers, Trump seems to have virtually endless possibilities even after losing the elections. When the 42nd president left the White House in 2001, Bill Clinton quickly found a way to make money by giving paid speeches, starting with a $125,000 one to Morgan Stanley, just 16 days after he left office. By the end of 2015, Clinton had earned an estimated $106 million from speaking! Trump can clearly attract large crowds. Why not charge them money? Trump is almost certain to make his opinions heard—why not get paid for doing so? There are even some rumors that the president’s family is considering buying or creating its own station.

Missed Out Fact#3: Besides the motto of “Building America Great Again”, Trump also focused on building his own brand: Though Trump was already a known brand before assuming presidency in 2016, he did not lose the charisma of his public appearances after becoming a President. Be it his Indian visit to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi or North Korean visit to decide fate of a nuclear world, Trump knew how to add it to his personal profile. Though he lost huge money from The Apprentice (An American reality TV show presented by him), and abandoned many potential deals just before assuming office, rumors have it that many foreign business leaders are eager to strike new deals (mostly product licensing) with him after he is relieved of his President duties. Such opportunities would have been waiting for Trump regardless of when his presidency ended.

While the above depicts a rosy picture, Trump has suffered his parts of thorns as well during his time in Office. Trump is now worth an estimated $2.5 billion, $1 billion less than he was on Inauguration Day. This resulted from loss of many potential and existing product licensing deals, along with him distancing from his businesses (only on paper though!). On the contrary, this also means that Trump will have a lot of bed to spread his wings now, given that he is no more bound by any ethical conflicts.

As a person who reflected on his early lead in 2015 polls as, “You know, in a certain way, that’s brand value,” Donald trump clearly represents a business mind who used presidential run as something of a marketing and branding tool for himself and his businesses. No wonder he has such huge fan following – not forgetting the fact that there are still 71 million Americans who support Trump!

So Yes, the US Presidential Elections 2020 ended with Donald trump losing the election, which means he’ll soon lose his presidential perks, like wielding power over lenders and receiving protection from federal prosecutors, but he has gained something, too—the opportunity, over the next few years, to earn many millions more. Not a bad consolation prize, Eh!

By: Anmol Gupta | Isha Garg

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