The Donald Trump Truths Series (Part One) Freddy Trump

Freddy was a handsome fun-loving student at Lehigh University where he gained an interest in flying planes, which eventually lead to a career working for Trans World Airlines. In 1962, at age 23, he married and had two children.

But he was never allowed to live his own life. Constantly, under the thumb of his father and the Trump family. Freddy was a disappointment to Fred Sr. as he lacked the killer instinct required to play in the New York real estate game. Donald on the other hand was Fred Sr.’s favorite. Donald got into the Wharton School of Business and took the Trump name and made it into an international brand. Donald has even said Freddy was like the opposite of him.

The family dynamic was what lead to Freddy’s alcoholism. By the time Donald had graduated from college in 1968 Freddy’s drinking was out of control. Freddy got divorced, quit flying and failed at an attempt at commercial fishing in Florida. By the late 1970s, he was living back in his parents’ house in Jamaica Estates, working on one of his father’s maintenance crews.

In 1999, Fred Sr. died and Freddy’s son, Fred the 3rd, spoke at the funeral. That night, Fred the 3rd’s wife went into labor with their son, who developed seizures that led to cerebral palsy. Donald immediately promised he would take care of the medical bills.

Then the will was read and Freddy’s kin were cut out of the $20 Million dollar inheritance. Fred the 3rd sued, claiming that an earlier version of the will had entitled them to Freddy’s share of the estate claiming Donald had influenced Fred Sr who had dementia and was on his deathbed to change the will and cut Freddy’s kids out.

Once Donald heard about the lawsuit he retaliated by withdrawing the medical benefits critical to his nephew’s infant child. He’s even quoted as saying: “I was angry because they sued,” Donald Trump claims the litigation had been settled amicably and that he was fond of Fred the 3rd.