Book Measures Fortune, But Trump Says He's Worth More

Donald Trump is a brand name. He has published five bestsellers and put his name on everything from casinos and colognes to TV shows. Part of the Trump brand is the notion that Donald Trump himself is a billionaire. So when a New York Times reporter published a book contending that Trump was worth a mere $150 to $250 million, action had to be taken.

Trump Boosts Lawyer Careers

"Malicious," "defamatory," "egregiously false and reprehensible," and "slanderous," the lawsuit says of reporter Timothy L. O'Brien's low estimation of the Trump fortune, according to the New York Post.

And "he's a terrible writer," concludes Trump in the lawsuit. "This will cost him and Time Warner a lot of money."

Lawyers Go After Publisher

Warnerbooks is a defendant in the case. The New York Times, which employs O'Brien as a business reporter is not a defendant, though Trump lawyers assail the Times in the lawsuit for excerpting the book despite its alleged mistakes.

Trump estimates his wealth "conservatively" to be about $2.7 billion. That is the figure Forbes magazine put it at in its list of the world's richest people. Donald Trump was number 87 on the list.

Forbes Looks After Trump?

In a wink toward Forbes' estimation, Trump is asking for $2.5 billion in punitive damages. It is highly unlikely that he will receive this sum, but the demand from Trump's lawyers is meant to indicate Trump's extreme sensitivity on the subject.

The book, TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald, was written with considerable cooperation from the man himself.

Lawyer School

According to The Guardian, Trump's fortunes have fluctuated over the years, with several of his corporations filing for bankruptcy protection in the 1980s and 1990s. Trump's comebacks are part of his legend.

Like Trump, wealthy men and women often use lawyers to protect their image. A lawyer career can include the pursuit of damages due to slandering, and lawyer school can show you the way.

Sources
New York Post
Guardian