PROFILE - Donald Trump: From real estate kingdom to US presidency for 2nd time

By Mucahit Oktay

NEW YORK (AA) – Donald Trump, who defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 US election, winning a second, non-consecutive term as president, is making headlines not only for his stance on the Russia-Ukraine war but also due to his ongoing legal battles and past actions.

78-year-old Trump emerged victorious in key swing states, including North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, defeating Democratic opponent Kamala Harris to become the 47th president of the US.

Known for his rise from a real estate mogul to a political figure, Trump's journey to the presidency in 2016 was marked by controversial decisions and unprecedented legal cases.

Trump’s first term saw major domestic and international decisions, including the relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, withdrawal from international agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord, and implementation of high tariffs on Chinese imports.

His administration was also embroiled in the aftermath of the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the US Capitol, deepening political divisions in the country.

Despite losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, Trump continued to claim widespread election fraud, a claim that fueled numerous legal challenges. Trump is now back, overcoming legal hurdles, including an attempted disqualification linked to his role in the Capitol riots.

- From real estate mogul to president

Born on June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York, Trump was the fourth child of real estate tycoon Fred Trump.

After attending the New York Military Academy, he earned a business degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Taking over the family business from his father in 1971, Trump grew the company significantly, becoming prominent in business, entertainment, and media, even hosting his own TV show The Apprentice, gaining worldwide recognition.

In 2000, he briefly entered politics as a candidate for the Reform Party but withdrew quickly. It wasn’t until 2016 that he made a serious run for the presidency, winning the Republican nomination and defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton despite long odds.

- Controversial first term

Trump’s first term was marked by a series of contentious decisions and foreign policy moves.

He had prolonged disputes with agencies like the FBI and CIA, and some Pentagon generals. Trump declined certain aspects of Secret Service advice and announced decisions via social media without consulting his advisors.

On the international stage, Trump’s policies were equally divisive, including his trade war with China, support for Israel, and calls for stricter immigration controls.

The decision to pull the US out of the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Climate Agreement were some of his administration’s most controversial moves.

While trying to curb China’s market dominance through high import taxes, Trump stirred controversy with his friendly meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his attempt to fortify the US-Mexico border with metal barriers.

- Trump-Putin relationship

Trump also made headlines for his interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

After the crash of flight MH17 in 2014 in eastern Ukraine, with Kyiv blaming Moscow, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin told him in 2015, when he was not yet the president of the US, that Russia was not behind this.

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump said he had contact with Putin, and the Russian leader called him a "genius."

In 2018, Trump and Putin held a two-hour meeting in Helsinki with only interpreters present.

In a press conference afterward, Trump expressed confidence in US intelligence reports but also described Putin’s denial of Russian interference as “incredibly strong.”

This stance drew criticism from the US press, with Trump being accused of conceding too much to Putin.

Moreover, It is claimed that Trump maintained contact with Putin even after losing the 2020 presidential election.

- Plans for 2nd term

In his campaigns, Trump reiterated his promise to bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

He has stated that, if reelected, he would end the war “the day after” his reelection.

Trump also continued to criticize the US government’s financial support for Ukraine, calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "the greatest salesman in history" for securing billions in US aid.

"Every time he (Zelenskyy) comes into the country, he walks away with 60 billion dollars," he had said.

In addition to foreign policy, Trump’s domestic agenda includes tackling abortion rights and illegal immigration.

Previously advocating a nationwide ban after 15 weeks, he later expressed opposition to endorsing a national abortion ban, saying he believes abortion should be left to the states.

Regarding immigration, Trump has repeatedly criticized President Biden’s handling of border security and has promised to crack down on illegal immigration, framing it as a national security threat.

- Trump’s economic promises

Criticizing the Democratic administration’s management of the economy, Trump announced plans to tackle inflation from day one if elected.

In his second term, he plans to impose new tariffs, reduce taxes, and increase fossil fuel production.

Known for his “America First” approach, Trump aims to protect US interests through a protectionist stance in trade.

In 2018, during his presidency, Trump imposed tariffs on products imported from China and additional customs duties on steel and aluminum from other countries, including the US allies.

Upon returning to the White House for a second term, he signaled that he would apply further tariffs.

Trump plans to impose a 60% customs tax on goods from China and a 10-20% tax on goods imported from other countries.

With his return to office, Trump faces the risk of heightened trade tensions not only with China but also with the EU. The aluminum and steel tariffs, along with the Digital Services Tax, could reignite trade disputes with Europe.

Trump also aims to make permanent provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, set to expire next year, and is calling for additional tax cuts.

Under the current law, individuals receiving Social Security benefits must pay taxes on 50-85% of their benefits, with low-income retirees paying a lower rate than high-income ones. Trump seeks to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits for all individuals.

Additionally, Trump plans to reduce the federal corporate tax rate from 21% to 15% during his new term and has pledged to allow interest on car loans to be deducted from taxes.

He believes this will stimulate domestic car production and has promised tax cuts for Americans living abroad to end double taxation.

Trump also stated he would cancel unused funds from the Biden administration's "Inflation Reduction Act," which has been called "the biggest step taken so far on climate."

Trump, who supports the fossil fuel industry, including oil, natural gas, and coal, criticized the Biden administration's climate policies as "a new green scam." He opposes many clean energy policies, believing they hinder energy production and fuel inflation.

Like during his previous presidency, Trump plans to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and believes the US president should have a say in the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decisions.

Trump, who nominated Jerome Powell as Fed Chairman in 2017, criticized Powell for his monetary policy decisions.

Trump argues that inflation can be reduced without raising interest rates and advocates for lowering them instead.

During his new term, Trump is expected to allow Powell to complete his term as Fed Chairman, which runs until 2026.

- Careful language in foreign policy statements

During his presidential campaign, Trump was careful with his language regarding foreign policy.

Repeatedly calling Biden a bad president, Trump accused him of driving the world into chaos with his handling of Ukraine and the Middle East.

Although he moved to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel during his first term, Trump campaigned in swing states like Michigan, home to a large American Muslim and Arab population, during his reelection bid.

He also claimed that his administration would be more supportive of Israel than the Democratic Party.

At his rallies, Trump frequently voiced his support for Israel and suggested that, if elected president, Iran would not dare attack Israel.

He also subtly criticized Israel’s targeting of civilians and settlements in Gaza.

- Legal challenges and controversies

Trump has been involved in several legal battles stemming from his time in office and beyond.

In the incident known as the “Capitol Riot,” thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, resulting in five deaths.

For the first time in US history, an assault on Congress took place, and Trump faced two impeachment trials in the House but was acquitted in the Senate.

Trump also became the first president to ever pose for a mug shot as part of Georgia’s election interference case.

He also faces legal challenges related to alleged hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and charges of financial misconduct related to his business practices.

- Turbulent course of Türkiye-US ties during Trump era

During Trump’s presidency from 2016 to 2020, his close personal ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stood out. However, despite these connections, deep fractures emerged in Turkish-American relations, influenced by the US bureaucracy and Congress.

Trump and Erdogan met several times on various platforms and held two face-to-face meetings at the White House.

In their 2019 meeting in Japan, Trump stated that relations between both countries were improving, with the goal of quadrupling trade.

At the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in 2017, Trump expressed: “It’s a great honor and privilege — because he’s become a friend of mine — to introduce President Erdogan of Turkey. He’s running a very difficult part of the world. He’s involved very, very strongly and, frankly, he’s getting very high marks. And he’s also been working with the United States.

“We have a great friendship as countries. I think we’re, right now, as close as we have ever been. And a lot of that has to do with the personal relationship.”

The personal and direct communication between the two leaders facilitated dialogue on strategic issues.

However, one of the biggest challenges inherited from Barack Obama was US support for the YPG/PKK terrorist organization in Syria, justified by the fight against the Daesh/ISIS terror group.

Differences emerged over the close cooperation between the Pentagon, US Central Command (CENTCOM), and the YPG/PKK. Despite Trump’s repeated calls to withdraw US troops from Syria, the Pentagon and CENTCOM's resistance to this plan frequently made headlines.

After a phone call between Trump and Erdogan on Oct. 6, 2019, Türkiye launched Operation Peace Spring, leading to accusations that Trump had greenlit the operation.

Moreover, a letter Trump wrote to Erdogan, seen as undiplomatic, left a negative impact on relations.

Following this, the US imposed some sanctions due to Türkiye’s operations in Syria.

Additionally, when Türkiye purchased an air defense system from Russia, something the Obama administration had opposed, the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), passed in 2017, was applied to Türkiye during the final days of Trump’s presidency.

Under Congressional pressure, Türkiye was later removed from the F-35 fighter jet program.

In 2019, Trump voiced frustration with the CAATSA sanctions process, stating Türkiye was treated unfairly during the Obama administration, despite Türkiye’s request.

The case of US citizen Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson was one of the points that soured bilateral relations.

The Trump administration imposed sanctions on Turkish officials and doubled tariffs on Türkiye’s steel and aluminum. While the issue was later resolved and the sanctions were lifted, the tariffs remained in place.

Ankara’s request for the extradition of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) ringleader Fetullah Gulen, who died last month in Pennsylvania, and senior members of the organization after the 2016 coup attempt went unaddressed during both Obama’s and Trump’s terms.