GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump said Monday that life has not always been easy for him, and he was given a “small loan” of about $1 million to start his business with, frequently being told no along the way.
“My whole life really has been a ’no,’ and I’ve fought through it,” Mr. Trump said at a town-hall meeting sponsored by NBC’s “Today Show.” “It’s not been easy for me. … I started off in Brooklyn. My father gave me a small loan of a $1 million … and I had to pay him back, I had to pay him back with interest.”
Mr. Trump said he went to Manhattan with the money and started buying properties and “did great,” despite being told by many, including his father, that straying from Brooklyn and Queens real-estate may not lead to success.
Challenged by town-hall moderator Matt Lauer that $1 million may seem like a large sum to many, Mr. Trump said the loan wasn’t much compared to what he has built.
“All my life, I was told no, even for this. They said, ’What do you want to do it for? Don’t do it, don’t do it. You’re against professional politicians.’ So far, I’m not impressed,” Mr. Trump said.
• Kelly Riddell can be reached at kriddell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.