Confidence Man

About the Author

Maggie Haberman, a distinguished journalist with a Pulitzer Prize under her belt, is a prominent voice in American political reporting. She has covered Donald Trump extensively throughout her career, providing nuanced insights into his public life and career trajectory. As a longtime reporter for the New York Times, Haberman has been at the forefront of chronicling Trump’s rise, both in business and politics. Her book, Confidence Man, delves deep into the life and mind of one of the most controversial figures in modern American history.

Main Idea

Confidence Man offers an exhaustive exploration of Donald Trump's life, focusing on the people, experiences, and environments that shaped his personality and leadership style. Haberman paints a complex picture of Trump, from his formative years in New York City's cutthroat real estate world to his ascent to the presidency. The book dissects Trump’s public persona and his controversial presidency, revealing a man driven by a deep-seated need for recognition and power.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Trump’s Early Years, 1946-1983
3. Trump as Business Tycoon, 1983-2009
4. Emerging on the Political Scene, 2009-2016
5. In the White House, 2017-2021
6. After the Presidency

Trump’s Early Years, 1946-1983

Life in the Trump Family

Donald Trump was born in 1946 into a family that was deeply entrenched in the New York real estate business. His father, Fred Trump, was a self-made man who built a modest empire through sheer determination and a ruthless business approach. Haberman highlights that the Trump household was marked by a lack of empathy and a competitive, win-at-all-costs mentality instilled by Fred Trump.

"Fred instilled in his children a competitive, win-at-all-costs mentality, fostering rivalry among them." - Maggie Haberman

This upbringing shaped Donald’s worldview, making him see relationships as transactional. In his formative years, Trump learned that people were valuable only insofar as they could benefit him, a mindset that he carried into his business dealings and later into his political career.

Learning the Transactional Nature of Relationships

Haberman describes how Donald Trump absorbed the transactional nature of relationships from his father and the New York real estate world. Fred Trump excelled at cultivating political connections, which were crucial for securing tax breaks and permits necessary for the family’s business ventures. This early exposure to the intertwining of business and politics laid the foundation for Donald’s future endeavors.

When Trump joined the family business in 1968, he quickly understood the importance of political connections. By the 1970s, he had forged relationships with key power brokers in Manhattan, enabling the Trump Organization to secure significant tax abatements. This was an early demonstration of how Trump's business acumen was as much about navigating political landscapes as it was about real estate.

A Template for Fighting Criticism—and Attacking Critics

In 1973, the Trump Organization faced legal trouble when it was sued by the Justice Department for rental discrimination against Black tenants. This legal battle marked a turning point in Trump’s career, as it introduced him to Roy Cohn, a formidable lawyer known for his aggressive tactics. Cohn’s strategy of relentless counterattacks would become a hallmark of Trump’s approach to dealing with criticism and opposition throughout his career.