Trump: How to Get Rich

9:45 A.M. Ivanka, my beautiful daughter, calls to tell me about her most recent trip. She’s on holiday and is taking off for somewhere else tomorrow. Keeping track of her isn’t easy, but she’s good about keeping me informed, and I’m happy she’s enjoying herself. I’m a lucky guy with a daughter like this.

10:00 A.M. I have a board meeting in the conference room with Mark Brown and Bob Pickus from my Atlantic City team. John Burke and Scott Butera join us. We have these meetings every three months, to iron out any problems, to go over numbers, and to keep an eye on the future. Considering how large our operations are in Atlantic City—I have three casino hotels—our meetings are relatively brief; they rarely last more than two hours. My team knows the value of time and exactly how not to waste it. People often comment on the brevity of my meetings, but if everyone knows what they’re doing, they don’t need to be long or long-winded. Fortunately, I have experienced people on my teams, and they know how I operate, so they get to the point, and quickly.

With Bill Clinton at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor, New York.

12:00 P.M. We have sandwiches from the Carnegie Deli in the boardroom. Ever had one of their ham-and-cheese or corned beef sandwiches? They’re great. When you visit New York, try one.

12:15 P.M. I’m not antisocial, but to me, fifteen minutes is a very long lunch. So I’m back in my office, getting back to business, perusing the thirty-seven phone calls that came in during the meeting. These are the phone calls that have already been screened, first by the receptionist, and then by my assistants. I get hundreds of calls a day from around the world from people who just want to say hi or to tell me something. My security team takes some of the calls as well, because the number of calls can be overwhelming. But these are thirty-seven legitimate calls that must be dealt with, and I begin returning them. First I return Bob Kraft’s call. He’d invited me to a private Elton John concert, which was terrific. Elton John just gets better and better; he’s amazing. Bob Kraft is a first-class act all the way and always a delight to talk to. It’s a good way to start the afternoon.

12:30 P.M. Joe Torre stops by for a surprise visit. He’s the manager of the New York Yankees and always a welcome guest. He takes the time to sign autographs on his way in and on his way out. A real champ.

12:45 P.M. I return Rudy Giuliani’s call. He was a great mayor, and he saw New York City through some difficult times. In addition to my respect for him professionally, we are also friends and we keep in touch. I will always wish him the best—and his wife, Judy, is tops!

1:00 P.M. The TV team from the National Geographic Channel are here for an interview. They’ve done great work, and I decide we should go up to my apartment for the interview. I don’t often do that, but they are pros, and it goes very well. For the most part, I get along very well with media people. I respect them and the jobs they do, and they usually respect me and my time limits. It works both ways, and it’s a rare occasion when we clash.

1:45 P.M. I take a call from Mohamed Al Fayed, the owner of Harrods in Knightsbridge, London, and the Ritz in Paris. He’s one of a kind, a gentleman all the way, and I always make a point of visiting him when I’m in London. He’s remained a kind and loyal person despite the tragedies in his life, and I am honored when he calls.

2:00 P.M. I call my brother, Robert. He’s a great guy, and a good brother to have. We keep in close contact, and I consider myself lucky to have the brother and sisters that I’ve got.

Melania calls to remind me that we are going to see Chicago on Broadway tonight. I’ve seen it before, but Melanie Griffith is currently starring in it, and we want to see her. I already know she’ll be terrific—she’s a natural.

I return twelve calls in rapid succession, most of them concerning my different properties in New York and Florida. Each time, I ask what the problem is, and we get to it immediately. I like to keep a handle on all my properties, and the problems are to be expected. The time I worry the most is when there aren’t any problems. That’s usually the result of misinformation or wishful thinking on someone’s part.

Here’s one of my greatest wishes: I would like a computer chip that I could attach to the brains of all my contractors so they’d know exactly what I wanted, when I wanted it, and at what price. This would save me a lot of time, a lot of phoning, and a lot of yelling.