From the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters behind the 2018 bombshell New York Times exposé of then-President Trump’s finances, an explosive investigation into the history of Donald Trump’s wealth, revealing how one of the country’s biggest business failures lied his way into the White House Soon after announcing his first campaign for the US presidency, Donald J. Trump told a national television audience that life “has not been easy for me. It has not been easy for me.” Building on a narrative he had been telling for decades, he spun a hardscrabble fable of how he parlayed a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar business and real estate empire.

This feat, he argued, made him singularly qualified to lead the country. Except: None of it was true. Born to a rich father who made him the beneficiary of his own highly lucrative investments, Trump received the equivalent of more than $500 million today via means that required no business expertise whatsoever.

Drawing on over twenty years’ worth of Trump’s confidential tax information, including the tax returns he tried to conceal, alongside business records and interviews with Trump insiders, New York Times investigative reporters Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig track Trump's financial rise and fall, and rise and fall again. For decades, he squanders his fortunes on money losing businesses, only to be saved yet again by financial serendipity. He tacks his name above the door of every building, while taking out huge loans he’ll never repay.

He obsesses over appearances, while ignoring threats to the bottom line and mounting costly lawsuits against city officials. He tarnishes the value of his name by allowing anyone with a big enough check to use it, and cheats the television producer who not only rescues him from bankruptcy but casts him as a business savant – the public image that will carry him to the White House. A masterpiece of narrative reporting, Lucky Loser is a meticulous examination spanning nearly a century, filled with scoops from Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago, Atlantic City, and the set of The Apprentice .

At a moment when Trump’s tether to success and power is more precarious than ever, here for the first time is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money – what he had, what he lost, and what he has left – and the final word on the myth of Trump, the self-made billionaire.

From the glittering skyscrapers of New York to the gilded rooms of Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump has always been a figure of fascination and controversy. Lucky Loser delves into the lesser-known narrative of how one of America's most talked-about businessmen managed his sizable inheritance and perpetuated an illusion of success. This captivating read peels back the glossy veneer of Trump's public persona, shedding light on the intricate web of strategies and missteps that defined his financial saga.

Inherited wealth doesn't always guarantee long-lasting success or fortune. Creating an image of success can manipulate public and media perception. Financial missteps can be overshadowed by theatrical public relations maneuvers.

Lucky Loser invites readers to explore Donald Trump's complex financial world. This revealing book uncovers how he navigated the vast fortune left by his father. By weaving a narrative steeped in ambition and audacity the author exposes the myth of Trump’s business acumen.

Through meticulous research the book traces the ups and downs of Trump's financial journey questioning the veracity of his success claims. It provides compelling insights into the inner workings of his business empire unraveling the calculated efforts to maintain an illusion. Lucky Loser also delves into the role of media and perception in shaping Trump's career demonstrating how public relations strategies can sometimes obscure reality.

Readers get a rare glimpse of how wealth and influence intersect in complex ways. The book also offers a broader commentary on American capitalism and the persistence of certain myths within it. It invites readers to question what truly defines success in a world where image often overshadows substance.

Lucky Loser sets itself apart by debunking widely-held myths about the American dream offering a fresh perspective on Donald Trump's legacy through incisive analysis and researched narratives The book's detailed exploration of financial mismanagement contrasted with public portrayals provides a nuanced view of Trump's business ventures making it an intriguing read for those interested in business and politics By dissecting the interplay between wealth and media influence this book encourages critical thinking about the nature of success making it essential for anyone curious about the fragility of public perception.