The Complete Transformation Of Eric Trump
There's no denying that Donald Trump has built a business empire that will go down in history — for better or worse. However, it could be argued that his real lasting legacy takes the shape of his five children: Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron Trump. The Trump kids have been thrust into the spotlight for years, each making their own way in the world. For Eric, his trajectory has largely been shaped by what his dad taught him. Even in his 30s, Eric had already spearheaded several business ventures, making him one to watch.
Despite the silver spoon he was born with, it's not always been an easy ride for Eric who has remained an avid supporter of his dad Donald through thick and thin, often landing himself in hot water in the process. From starting work before he was even a teenager to finding love and becoming a father himself, Eric has shown on more than one occasion that he can embrace change both personally and professionally, regardless of what the world thinks or what the papers print.
Being the son of one of the most controversial figures in the world might come with a lot of drawbacks, but it also comes with a lot of perks — inherited power, unending advice, and plenty of business connections. Let's take a look at his complete transformation, from what Eric Trump's childhood with Donald was really like to how dodgy dealings cast a shadow on his once reputable charity.
Eric's dad Donald Trump instilled core values in him from the age of 4
Growing up as a Trump child may have been a lavish experience, but according to Eric Trump, his father made sure he knew the fundamentals of life as young as 4 years old. During an interview with Republican politician Kari Lake (via Newsweek), Lake probed Eric on what his childhood was really like. Eric candidly explained that Donald spent most of his time in his office. "We probably spent less time out there throwing baseballs around," Eric recalled. Some may take this as Eric bashing his dad's approach to parenthood, but that wasn't the case.
He was quick to praise his father, explaining that Donald would come into his room before school, kiss him goodbye, and tell him, "'Eric, no drinking, no drugs, no smoking' every single day at 4 years old." He also went on to say that his dad was strict and had high expectations, but it's not something that he resents or holds resentment over. In fact, Eric has always been his father's biggest supporter and has never publicly criticized him.
Unlike his brother, Donald Trump Jr., who was notorious for his partying and womanizing ways in his college years, Eric has managed to keep his nose relatively clean. Could it be down to his dad's early encouragement?
He began working when he was just 11 years old
Given how prolific Donald Trump is in the business world, it makes sense that he raised his kids to be hardworking and dedicated. While some of them took a little while to come around to the idea of knuckling down (Donald Trump Jr. refused to talk to his father for a year when he was younger and was notoriously wild-spirited in college) Eric Trump quickly inherited his dad's entrepreneurial spirit. Eric was so eager to make his own money that he reportedly started working when he was just 11 years old, but it wasn't a glamorous office job like you might expect.
In his interview with Kari Lake (via Newsweek), Eric told the Republican politician, "I was on construction sites when I was 11, 12 years old doing demo, breaking down walls, concrete, sheet rock, plumbing, stuff I literally still do for myself these days." Despite what many people may think, Eric wasn't just handed anything he wanted if he asked for it. This job, he explained, provided him with a minimum wage salary and instilled a good work ethic in him. If he wanted to purchase something, he worked hard and saved up.
Even children in average-income homes wouldn't expect to go to quite that length these days, but this aspect of his childhood, according to Eric, was a great lesson that he still carries with him.
He knew he wanted to join the family business from a young age
Eric Trump's net worth is a point of interest for many, but his career didn't come out of nowhere. Eric grew up listening to his father and taking note of his money moves. Over the years, Eric made it clear he thinks of Donald Trump as a role model, telling CBS News in 2003 when he was 19, "I really look up to him. I think it's amazing that you can find a job that you love and enjoy so much that you'd rather be doing it than taking vacations."
In the same interview, Eric, who was a college student at the time at Georgetown University, told reporters he wanted to be part of his father's business empire. Donald admitted that his son had "a wonderful capability. And then at some point, he'll be tested, and tested very strongly." That may seem a little harsh to some, but the patriarch said he believed his son would do well and like it. As for Eric, he made it clear that his aspirations were nothing short of skyscraper high, admitting he would like to take over Trump-owned properties one day.
At the time, it was clear that Eric had his sights set on becoming a powerful businessman that even his dad would concede.
Eric Trump created a charitable foundation in 2007 – but it later faced controversy
In his early 20s, Eric branched out into the philanthropic world by launching The Eric Trump Foundation in 2006. According to the company's LinkedIn profile, the foundation's main mission was to help sick children by partnering with the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It was certainly an honorable cause, with the rest of the Trump family showing up at golfing events to support Eric's fundraising efforts. However, all that glitters isn't always gold — and just like his famous dad, Eric's venture would eventually come under fire after the foundation's 2014 practices were called into dispute.
After raising over $1.8 million at a golfing event that year, Eric proudly claimed in a since-deleted video for The Trump Organization, "It's really kind of the pinnacle for the Eric Trump Foundation" (via Forbes). "We just raised an inordinate amount of money, and it all obviously goes to the children of St. Jude." Unfortunately, that wasn't strictly true. Eric's charity did donate a lot of money to St. Jude, but it also donated money to multiple other charities — just like it had done in previous years.
While they were all worthy causes, the issue lies in transparency. The foundation's website claimed all profits would go to St. Jude's, not just some, which actually constitutes fraud. This prompted the New York Attorney General's office to look into the organization.
In 2010, he made his TV debut on Celebrity Apprentice with his dad
The transformation of Donald Trump has been one that will go down in history. Though always a prominent businessman, in 2004, his stardom was taken to a new level when he starred in "The Apprentice", a reality TV series where business hopefuls competed for the chance to work alongside Donald. The concept proved to be incredibly popular, and the show lasted until Donald's transition into the White House. Of course, like most things in the Trump sphere, it soon became a family affair.
In 2010, six years after the show's debut, Eric Trump joined his dad in the boardroom as an advisor, appearing in 23 episodes throughout the show's run. Eric also made waves when he guest starred on the show's spin-off "Celebrity Apprentice." Critics weren't quite sure what to make of the up-and-coming businessman, with Dalton Ross writing on behalf of Entertainment Weekly at the time, "I had no idea your father had sired a giant. But what struck me most was not your freakish height, but rather the way you continually kept bringing your hands in front of you and tapping the fingers together like a maniacal Ernst Stavro Blofeld."
If the hate got to Eric, he didn't show it and continued to boost his public profile by appearing on the show.
He was given control of Trump Winery at 28
By 2012, Eric Trump was fully invested in the family business, just as he had always hoped he would be as a child. Two years after making his debut on "The Apprentice," his father gave him Trump Winery, previously known as Kluge Estate Winery. Donald Trump had bought the business in 2011 from its founder and owner Patricia Kluge, but while he kept her on for a year, Kluge was given the boot when Donald appointed Eric. The business still appears to be in operation all these years later and is actually owned by Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC. At some point, Eric gained full control, though it's not clear if this was from the outset or something that gradually developed.
Either way, being given the reigns to such a huge business empire at the tender age of 28 is an impressive feat. The Trump Winery's website contains a message from Eric, who states, "I can honestly say that Trump Winery, from the moment of acquisition has been one of the most exciting ... Each year our wines continue to receive tremendous accolades competing and winning against vineyards that have been in business for decades."
The winery, based in Charlottesville, Virginia, is also a wedding venue and hotel, making this a fully-rounded jewel in Eric's business crown.
Eric Trump married Lara Trump in a lavish ceremony in 2014
There was a time in his younger years when Eric Trump was one of New York City's most eligible bachelors, as the son of one of the richest men in the world. However, he was taken off the market when he met Lara Yunaska in 2008. The pair have been together ever since, and though it was Eric Trump's height that initially drew Lara to him, she soon discovered they were a match made in heaven. The pair dated for six years before they tied the knot in 2014, ushering in a new chapter of Eric's life and one of the most important roles to date: husband.
As you might expect given how rich Eric is, the wedding was a spectacle and not a low-key affair that quietly went unnoticed. The pair said their vows before 400 guests at Eric's father's Mar-a-Lago estate. Considering it was a major Trump family event, it's not surprising Eric's family was heavily involved. His sister, Ivanka, was a bridesmaid, her husband, Jared Kushner, officiated, and their daughter was a flower girl. Doanld Trump Jr. also held pride of place as Eric's best man. The bride's wedding dresses were some for the books, but surprisingly, a far cry from Lara Trump's most controversial outfits of all time.
It was an arguably beautiful (and expensive) way to start their lives together, and if their wedding photos were anything to go by, Eric rose to the occasion.
He became a father in 2017
Some couples may wait a short time after getting together to have children, but Eric and Lara Trump were together for almost a decade when they welcomed their first child, a son named Eric "Luke" Trump, in 2017. Eric made the birth announcement via X, formerly Twitter, the same day. Alongside a photo of the newborn tot, Eric said, "[Lara] and I are excited to announce the birth of our son, Eric 'Luke' Trump at 8:50 this morning." While the reveal was direct and to the point, Eric previously gushed about how excited he was to become a father in an interview with People, saying, "We found out on my birthday, which was pretty cool."
His wife was confident in her husband's ability to master parenthood, telling the publication Eric would be "an amazing dad" judging by his relationship with his sibling's kids. "The nieces and nephews love hanging with him," she said. "He's the cool uncle. He's watched 'Frozen' many times." In 2019, they welcomed a second child, this time a daughter they called Carolina Dorothy Trump, making Donald Trump a grandfather 10 times over.
As younger members of the Trump family, Eric's kids tend to stay out of the spotlight, but Luke was spotted with his dad at his grandmother's funeral following the death of Ivana Trump in 2022, wearing a smart suit and holding a stuffed animal.
He took on a major role in the family business when his dad became president
In the beginning half of the 2010s, the idea of Donald Trump winning the presidential election seemed a little far-fetched. After all, it's not often someone with no prior political experience makes their way into the White House, let alone assumes the presidency. However, that's exactly what Donald did, and he took his family along for the ride. His wife, Melania Trump, and his son, Barron Trump, eventually joined him in the nation's capital, while his daughter Ivanka Trump, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, became trusted advisors to him. So, where was Eric during his dad's stint at the top?
Eric may not have been part of his dad's administration, but he was still busy assisting his father. Someone had to hold down the fort while Donald took on the world, and that responsibility fell to Eric. He took up the mantle of managing The Trump Organization alongside his brother, Donald Trump Jr. It may have taken him some time, but Eric finally realized his childhood dreams of being an important cog in his father's business — arguably one of the most important cogs. At the time of his father's election, he told Forbes that it was imperative the business was looked after and that his father wasn't bothered by operations. "There is kind of a clear separation of church and state that we maintain, and I am deadly serious about that exercise," Eric explained.
Eric Trump has been one of his father's most vocal supporters during his legal troubles
If the Trump family holds one value higher than anything else, it's loyalty. Donald Trump's biggest supporters throughout his political career have been his kids. As we previously mentioned, some served in his administration, while others had his back in the business sector. Eric Trump has made it clear that he is his dad's most vocal backer, even throughout Donald's legal troubles that followed his stint in the White House. Donald Trump made history as the first president to be arrested in 2024 and was famously put on an astronomical bail bond after a fraud case landed him in hot water.
Eric worked away behind the scenes trying to help his dad and was quick to criticize the legal proceedings. Talking to Fox News, Eric said, "No one's ever seen a bond this size. Every single person, when I came to them saying, 'Hey, can I get a half-billion-dollar bond?' They were laughing. Top executives of large insurance companies had never seen anything of this size." He even went so far as to call it a crooked number, claiming that the courts aimed to put his dad out of business and make him financially unable to run his 2024 presidential campaign.
Regardless, Eric remained confident that his father would win and that the American people "knows exactly what these people are doing." It's not hard to see where he inherited his resolve.