A Love for the Royal Asset

With success came a true love of gold in all its manifestations. Trump has long been known for his love of the precious metal, relating it to royal tastes. In fact, analysts were quick to study the newly released 92 pages of financial statements required from Trump as a candidate for the nation’s highest office. This document shows that “the Donald” owns gold in several forms. His holdings include at least a healthy amount of gold bullion. According to the Federal Elections Commission filing, Trump owns between $100,000 to $200,000 in gold bullion.

In addition to the physical gold, many are assuming Trump has holdings in the other forms of gold securities in his portfolio of nearly $90 million. What is for sure, Trump places great value in the security gold represents.

Trump Backed by Gold

Aside from the strong stand he has taken encouraging a return to the gold standard (“it would be very nice to have a solid country filled with money backed by bullion,” he says), Trump has literally put his money where his mouth is by both buying gold and accepting it over cash.

In an oft-told story, he authorized his Trump Organization to accept a security deposit worth $176,000 in the form of three 32-ounce bars of gold. The new tenant wanted to make a point about accepting gold instead of cash for some transactions. Trump affirmed at the time that he holds physical gold in his personal portfolio.

The analysis of Trump’s FEC filing could only show so much detail, as the form only requires broad disclosures, such as owning more than $50 million of certain asset classes. However, the information provided does show that Trump is highly diversified and uses gold as one of his favored holdings.

Some Glitter and Glitz

Of course, Trump also loves to associate the glamor and allure of gold with his name and brand. National Review recaps several of his more exotic uses of gold, including:

• A Gold-Accented Motorcycle. Trump commissioned a branded cycle from Paul Teutal, Sr., that includes 24-karat detailing and other custom parts.
• 24K Super Premium Vodka. Trump generates nearly $10 million annually for licensing this name, and one of the more visible products is premium vodka that boasts a 24-karat “T” on every $100 bottle.
• Trump Tower Penthouse. Trump’s Manhattan apartment is styled in the Louis XIV style, and it incorporates gold details and 24-karat fitting throughout.

Gold shows up in virtually every Trump endeavor and possession, so it will be interesting to see how his touch plays out in his current aspirations for political office.