As the US Presidential election fever draws near, promises and misrepresentations by politicians begin inundating the media. And in this awful tradition, Donald Trump started with what Forbes believes is a fib story in claiming that he's worth $9 billion.
Much like a kissing baby stunt or shaking a bum's hand, Trump pulls the wool over the public's eye in claiming that his net worth is $9 billion.
Forbes figure that Trump's net worth is $4.1 billion. That differs from his declaration by a hundred percent.
This incongruity is striking because Trump used his financial success as his core strength in announcing his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. "I've done an amazing job," said Trump and he alludes to the wealth that he accumulated as a measure of his impressive managerial skills which he plans to use in turning around America's economy.
Forbes recognizes that Trump is a billionaire and a terrific deal-maker. He transformed his father's construction company into a massive empire and has also proven his resiliency and fortitude in enduring through bankruptcy. He also owned high end properties like 40 Wall Street and Trump Tower while amplifying his brand fame through international beauty pageants (Miss Universe) and reality TV shows (Apprentice), among others.
What accounts to Trump's overstated net worth is his brand and brand-related deals. Whereas Trump appraises his brand to be worth around $3.3 billion, Forbes rates it at only $125 million. Another major contribution to the discrepancy is his golf courses which Trump quantified at $800 million while independent valuation experts assess them only at $200 million.
In a follow up story from Huffingtonpost, Trump admitted that he stretched the truth a little bit. However, he does not seem to equate exaggeration with lying.
But then again, that is exactly who Donald Trump is. He flaunts his wealth without reserve.
Will that count as honesty?
