We value your privacy

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalised ads or content, and analyse our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies.

Customise Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Trump failures

Donald Trump’s Failed Business Ventures: A 2025 Overview

Donald J. Trump, known for his brand-driven business empire, has launched a wide array of ventures across real estate, consumer goods, education, and entertainment. While some ventures brought him fame, others ended in bankruptcy, lawsuits, or complete shutdowns. Below is an updated 2025 overview of notable Trump businesses that failed, were discontinued, or became mired in legal and financial controversy.

1. Trump University (2005–2010)

Industry: Real estate education
Status: Shut down after lawsuits
Key Issues: Fraud allegations, lack of accreditation

Trump University was launched as a real estate training program, claiming to offer insider knowledge from Trump himself. However, students alleged false advertising and predatory upselling practices. In 2016, Trump agreed to a $25 million settlement without admitting wrongdoing. The institution never had accreditation and ceased operations in 2010.

2. Trump Casinos and Trump Entertainment Resorts

Industry: Gaming and hospitality
Status: Bankrupt and defunct
Key Issues: Multiple bankruptcies, mismanagement

Trump’s casino empire in Atlantic City, including the Trump Taj Mahal and Trump Plaza, filed for bankruptcy multiple times. By 2016, most properties were either sold or closed. Mismanagement, over-leveraging, and market decline were cited as primary causes.

3. Trump Steaks (2007–2008)

Industry: Food and beverage
Status: Discontinued
Key Issues: Poor sales, limited distribution

Marketed as high-end meat products and sold through The Sharper Image and QVC, Trump Steaks failed to gain traction. The brand was discontinued within a year due to poor sales performance and marketing missteps.

4. Trump Airlines (1989–1992)

Industry: Aviation
Status: Shut down
Key Issues: Debt burden, unprofitable operations

Trump bought the Eastern Air Shuttle and rebranded it as Trump Shuttle. The airline struggled under heavy debt and failed to turn a profit. It was absorbed into US Airways in 1992 after financial default.

5. Trump Vodka (2006–2011)

Industry: Alcohol
Status: Discontinued
Key Issues: Brand mismatch, weak sales

Launched with the slogan “Success Distilled,” Trump Vodka never met sales expectations. By 2011, it was pulled from the market. Distribution was limited and Trump’s own abstinence from alcohol created a branding disconnect.

6. Trump Magazine (2007–2009)

Industry: Publishing
Status: Defunct
Key Issues: Economic downturn, declining readership

This lifestyle and luxury magazine targeted high-income readers, featuring Trump-branded content. It folded during the 2008 recession amid declining ad revenue and circulation.

7. Trump Mortgage (2006–2007)

Industry: Financial services
Status: Closed
Key Issues: Poor timing, leadership issues

Launched at the peak of the housing bubble, Trump Mortgage collapsed within a year as the subprime mortgage crisis began. Leadership missteps and exaggerated revenue projections accelerated its downfall.

8. Trump Ice Natural Spring Water

Industry: Bottled water
Status: Discontinued
Key Issues: Low demand, limited branding reach

Trump Ice was bottled water branded under Trump’s name. It lacked national distribution and disappeared from retail shelves by the early 2010s.

9. Trump Network (2009–2011)

Industry: Multi-level marketing (MLM)
Status: Shut down
Key Issues: MLM skepticism, low sales

The Trump Network sold dietary supplements and diagnostic tests through a multi-level marketing model. It failed to gain traction and was sold off quietly in 2011.

10. Trump Plaza Hotel (New York City)

Industry: Hospitality
Status: Sold after bankruptcy
Key Issues: Debt and operational losses

Trump purchased the iconic Plaza Hotel in 1988 but declared bankruptcy on it in 1992. He lost ownership during restructuring, though the Trump name remained for a period.

11. Trump Tower Tampa (Unbuilt)

Industry: Real estate development
Status: Cancelled
Key Issues: Financial and legal disputes

Announced in 2005 as a luxury condominium project, the tower was never built. Investors sued after units were presold and construction failed to begin.

12. Trump Baja Ocean Resort (Unbuilt)

Industry: International real estate
Status: Abandoned
Key Issues: Legal action, failed financing

This proposed Mexican resort never broke ground. Buyers lost deposits and filed lawsuits. Trump claimed he was only a licensing partner, distancing himself from the project after litigation ensued.

Broader Context: What These Failures Reveal

Many of Trump’s discontinued ventures share common traits:

  • Overpromising and underdelivering

  • Legal and financial entanglements

  • Short-term brand licensing rather than long-term investment

  • Minimal hands-on involvement despite branding as “Trump-led”

Critics argue these failed businesses reflect a pattern of opportunism over sustainability, while Trump supporters often dismiss them as normal business risks.