Trump has always been a micro-manager; he was known for having his fingers in EVERYTHING while running his businesses in NY. Literally nothing got done without his knowledge and approval.
While one might argue that he was unaware of who was being hired to work in his son's vinyard (Trump Winery is owned by Eric, and specifically states on its website that they are not affiliated with the Trump Organization), it's hard to believe that he was unfamiliar with the hiring practices of the properties he does own, especially when it came to his personal maids. It's also hard to determine if he actually employs thousands of people, because most of the properties bearing the Trump name do not belong to him - they just licensed his name. The Trump Organization iteslf is very lean - probably no more than 30 employees. He owns something like 16 golf courses and 11 hotels, so we're talking hundreds of employees, not thousands.
Trump created a myth about himself. He's not a billionaire, and he's not really a successful businessman. By 1980 he had blown through his inheritance. The banks took away the Park Plaza hotel, his airline, and his yacht, and put him on a monthly budget. He bankrupted 6 companies, and no American bank will lend him money, which raises the question of where he got the money to buy the properties he DOES own now. That's why Congress (and NY State) want to see his financial records - where did that money come from, and who is he beholden to? |
