Topline
In one year, Donald Trump has gone from a net worth of $2.5 billion and facing significant legal burdens, to becoming President-elect and returning to Forbes’ tally of America’s richest people, thanks to his majority stake in Truth Social’s parent company, which grew his net worth to $6.1 billion.
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Timeline
By early this year, Trump’s net worth stood around $2.5 billion, a figure Forbes determined in September 2023 for the annual Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans; that figure declined from his previous time in office, when his net worth reached $4 billion—although his net worth was less volatile before he gained ownership of a public company.
Trump’s net worth rose rapidly to $6.4 billion within a day of Truth Social’s parent company going public—jumping from $2.3 billion after his legal judgments weighed down his net worth between January and March. His net worth fell from $2.5 billion after his legal burdens weighed down his net worth between January and March. Shares—listed with the ticker DJT—popped after the reverse merger closed between the special purpose acquisition company Digital World Acquisition Corp and Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which was approved after months of delays.
Within two days of being publicly traded, Trump touched a $7 billion net worth as excitement about the company continued.
Trump’s net worth, at $3.67 billion, reached one of the year’s lowest points on April 16, as TMTG share price hit bottom following a drop lasting several days, but the stock began rising by the month’s end, pushing Trump’s net worth to $7.6 billion on Apr. 30 as he expanded his stake.
For the second time in one year, Trump’s net worth doubled in value to more than $8.1 billion, the highest of all time, with his net worth remaining above $5 billion throughout the month and reaching $8 billion again on the 14th. Coincidentally, on the same day, a jury found Trump had abused Elle magazine writer E. Jean Carroll and granted her $5 million in damages. Days prior, adult film star Stormy Daniels testified in a hush money trial against Trump that he was later convicted in.
Trump’s net worth dropped about $300 million to $7.5 billion the day after a jury decided he was guilty of all 34 felony charges from falsifying business records in his criminal hush money trial that dates back to 2023.
An assassination attempt against Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 14 was followed by a surge in TMTG, boosting his net worth by more than $1 billion to $6.1 billion.
Trump announced he wouldn’t sell his shares in TMTG as a lockup period that prevented him from selling was nearing expiration. His net worth rose by about $200 million to $3.9 billion as he told reporters, “I’m not selling. No, I love it.” The rebound came days after his net worth dropped following his debate performance against Vice President Kamala Harris, and shares remained depressed throughout the month, reaching some of the lowest points of the year.
In a turn of fate for the 78-year-old billionaire, Trump’s months of holding TMTG placed him back on the 2024 Forbes 400 list, where he ranked 319th with a net worth of $4.3 billion after he was dropped from the list in 2021 for the first time in 25 years.
In the most significant spike of the year, Trump’s net worth peaked for the third time at $8 billion after several weeks of TMTG rallying as the betting odds of a Trump election victory grew.
Trump’s election victory sent his net worth to $6.2 billion the day after his win was called and his net worth remained consistently around $5.1 billion and higher throughout the month.
As Trump spent his first month as President-elect focused on the transition, his net worth grew to $6 billion by Dec. 9th and remained there or above—reaching $6.51 billion on Dec. 16th and slightly shifting on Dec. 20 as he transferred his entire stake to a trust.
What Assets Does Donald Trump Own?
Trump’s portfolio of assets on Dec. 23 was worth $6.1 billion, making him the 530th richest person in the world. His wealth is largely tied to the value of TMTG. His 60% stake in the fluctuating stock makes him the largest shareholder, and it makes up more than half of his net worth. He also owns about $1.1 billion worth of skyscrapers, penthouses, buildings, homes, hotels and golf courses worldwide. Additionally, he owns a licensing business and sells various products, like Trump-themed NFTs, sneakers, Chinese-manufactured bibles, guitars, cologne and watches.
How Much Does Trump Spend Each Year?
Trump spent some $130 million on average annually between 2010 and 2019, Forbes reported through accessing bank records divulged for the first time in December from Trump’s civil fraud trial. That near-decade also saw several significant purchases, such as the customized Boeing 757 that would become Trump Force One, major properties and redevelopments.
How Much Did Trump Earn As President?
Trump made more money as the sitting president than any previous president, Forbes reported. His assortment of businesses brought in some $2.4 billion in revenue and some $550 million in income from 2017 to 2020.
Sehow Much Did Trump’s 2024 Campaign Raise?
The Trump campaign committee raised some $388 million from Jan. 2023 and to Oct. 2024, ending up with about $36 million cash remaining. Trump-affiliated PACs raised $1.1 billion. Forbes reported that Trump didn’t spend any of his own money on the campaign—in fact, several of his businesses, such as his airplane, were hired by the campaign as he stumped across America.
Tangent
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in December Trump won’t be let off the hook for the $454 million, plus interest, ordered in the February judgment in his civil fraud trial. The payment is the judgment leveled against Trump for intentionally approving financial documents that exaggerated the value of his assets to land better business opportunities. Separately, sentencing was postponed for Trump’s 34 felony convictions from his hush money trial after he became President-elect. Trump wants his conviction thrown out, while prosecutors want to postpone sentencing until after his presidential term. His other three ongoing lawsuits have also largely dissolved, including the federal indictment against Trump for trying to overturn the 2020 election, the federal case from charges alleging Trump stored classified documents in his Florida home, and the paused case dealing with criminal charges in Georgia from allegedly interfering with the 2020 election results.
How Much Does Trump Owe?
Trump owes more than $1.5 billion in liabilities. He has loans on more than 10 properties, including a New York City office place where his $118 million is larger than the value of the property by a few million dollars. He also owes the more than $480 million, plus interest, from the New York civil fraud trial and the potential $92 million to Carroll from his two penalties. Trump posted bonds this year in his payments for Carroll, owing her $91.6 million for one penalty and $5.5 million for the other.
Key Background
Truth Social’s reverse merger has proved to be one of his defining achievements: he’s the only U.S. politician to make such a significant amount of wealth from his political status and career, as Forbes reported in September. But the company isn’t all roses for Trump. TMTG is largely viewed as a “meme stock,” or a stock that doesn’t have value because of its products but is fueled by internet hype. It saw a net loss of $380 million in a year. In November, it reported a net loss of $19 million. And the share price clearly responds to Trump’s media and internet presence, and that can be seen as the volatile share price corresponding repeatedly throughout the year to match his positioning in the election. As Forbes reported in September, the company’s financial situation is “absurd.”
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