Are Donald Trump’s Parents Alive?

Donald Trump was born on June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York to Fred and Mary Anne Trump. He was one of five children, with siblings Maryanne, Fred Jr., Elizabeth and Robert. Donald Trump’s father, Fred Trump, was a successful real estate developer known for building affordable housing in New York City. His mother Mary Anne was a homemaker and philanthropist. Both of Donald Trump’s parents played a major role in his upbringing and influenced his future career in real estate and business.

But are his parents still alive today?

Let’s take a closer look.

Fred Trump

Fred Trump, Donald Trump’s father, was born in 1905 in New York. He started working in real estate in the 1920s while still a teenager by building garages in Queens. In the following decades, Fred Trump built thousands of affordable houses, apartments and barracks in New York City. He was known to be a very hard worker who was incredibly dedicated to the family real estate business.

Fred Trump married Mary Anne MacLeod, a Scottish immigrant, in 1936. The couple had five children together – Maryanne, Fred Jr., Elizabeth, Donald and Robert. Fred Trump ran his company closely with his family and expected his children to follow in his footsteps in the real estate world.

Fred Trump was 45 years old when Donald Trump was born in 1946. Well into old age, Fred Trump remained actively involved in managing the Trump Organization’s real estate portfolio. However, his health started declining in the late 1980s when he was in his 80s.

Fred Trump’s Death

On June 25, 1999 at the age of 93, Fred Trump passed away due to complications from pneumonia. At the time of his death, Fred Trump was still working for the Trump Organization along with his son Donald. Fred lived a long and fulfilling life, having witnessed his son Donaldgain tremendous success and celebrity in the family business.

Fred’s wife Mary Anne and four children survived him after his death in 1999. They mourned the loss of the Trump family patriarch who had started building the real estate empire from scratch. Donald Trump has often talked fondly about his father and credited him with teaching him the real estate business. At the age of 93, Fred Trump lived a long and productive life devoted to his family and work.

Mary Anne Trump

Like her husband Fred, Mary Anne Trump also lived a long life and played an important role in raising the Trump children. She was born as Mary Anne MacLeod in 1912 in Scotland. In 1930, at age 18, she immigrated to the United States. It was during a vacation to New York that she met Fred Trump and they married in 1936.

After marrying Fred, Mary Anne settled into the role of a homemaker and mother. She focused on raising the five Trump children and managing the household while Fred built up the real estate business. By all accounts, Mary Anne enjoyed a happy and loving marriage with Fred Trump. She supported her husband’s business endeavors and taught her children the value of hard work.

In spite of her busy life as a mother and wife, Mary Anne Trump also participated in several philanthropic organizations in New York City. She regularly volunteered and hosted fundraisers for charitable hospitals and educational institutions. Mary Anne was recognized for her generosity and became a lifetime member of the Salvation Army, the National Audubon Society, and other charities.

Mary Anne Trump’s Death

After Fred Trump passed away in 1999, Mary Anne continued living in New York City close to her children. She maintained an active lifestyle and lived independently well into her 80s. Her health started declining in 2000 when she was 88 years old.

On August 7, 2000 at the age of 88, Mary Anne Trump passed away in New Hyde Park, New York. The cause of death was reported as complications from pneumonia, the same condition that had claimed her husband’s life a year earlier.

At the time of her death, Mary Anne Trump was survived by her four remaining children – Maryanne, Elizabeth, Donald and Robert. Her son Fred Trump Jr. had passed away in 1981 at the age of 43 due to complications from alcoholism. Mary Anne lived to see Donald become a major success in real estate and business, just as her husband Fred had hoped for his children.

Donald Trump’s Relationship with His Parents

By all accounts, Donald Trump shared a close and loving bond with his parents Fred and Mary Anne. He spoke fondly of them throughout his life and credited them with influencing his career path.

The Trump family lived in a 23-room red brick Tudor Revival home in the affluent Jamaica Estates neighborhood of Queens. Donald attended private schools and the family regularly attended church together on Sundays. His father Fred kept a close eye on the children and expected them to work hard, while Mary Anne provided a nurturing home environment.

In interviews over the years, Donald Trump has praised his father’s strong work ethic which influenced him greatly. Fred often took his children along to inspect construction sites and taught them the family business from a young age. Donald admired his father’s drive to expand the company and his willingness to take risks that other developers avoided.

At the same time, Donald Trump has spoken warmly of his mother Mary Anne and how she created stability in their home. Mary Anne offered her children encouragement and support. Donald apparently inherited his mother’s sense of charity and philanthropic spirit, which is reflected in his donations over the years.

The values and skills instilled by his parents enabled Donald Trump to take the family real estate company to new heights. After Fred Trump’s death in 1999, Donald reminisced fondly about his father in interviews. And when Mary Anne passed away a year later in 2000, Donald mourned the loss of a caring mother. He honored his parents’ memories by continuing to expand the Trump empire.

Donald Trump’s Siblings

In addition to Donald Trump, Fred and Mary Anne Trump raised four other children:

Maryanne Trump Barry (1937- ) – Donald’s eldest sister followed in her father’s footsteps and earned a law degree, becoming a Federal judge. She is retired now and has avoided the limelight unlike her celebrity brother Donald.

Frederick Trump Jr. (1938-1981) – The oldest son who was groomed to take over the family business but struggled with alcohol addiction and died prematurely at age 43. His death was a cautionary tale for Donald.

Elizabeth Trump Grau (1942- ) – Donald’s younger sister who took a different path and became a bank executive. She has preferred to live a private life away from the spotlight.

Robert Trump (1948-2020) – The youngest of the Trump siblings who served as an executive in the Trump Organization. Robert remained close to Donald throughout his life.

Donald credits his siblings with teaching him much about business and life in general. The five children grew up together under the tutelage of their strict yet caring parents. Losing his brother Fred Jr. at an early age affected Donald deeply and shaped his views on alcohol.

While the three surviving siblings have avoided publicity, they have always supported Donald’s ambitious career. When Robert Trump passed away in 2020, Donald was affected by the loss as they had worked closely together for decades. Through all his successes and failures, Donald Trump has remained deeply influenced by his parents and siblings.

Conclusion

Donald Trump’s parents Fred and Mary Anne Trump passed away in 1999 and 2000 respectively after living long and fulfilling lives. Donald credits them for teaching him invaluable lessons about hard work, family values and succeeding in business.

Fred Trump built a real estate empire from scratch and expected great things from his children. Mary Anne offered love and stability at home, helping to raise five children including future U.S. President Donald Trump. Both parents lived well into their 80s and 90s, remaining active until close to their deaths.

Donald Trump shared close relationships with his parents as well as his four siblings Maryanne, Fred Jr., Elizabeth and Robert. He speaks fondly of how his parents motivated him to succeed and run the family business. Although his parents passed away over two decades ago, Donald continues to apply the wisdom and skills they imparted to him. Their legacy lives on through Donald Trump’s eventful life, vast business empire and tenure as the 45th President of the United States.

References

Blair, Gwenda. The Trumps: Three Generations of Builders and a Presidential Candidate. Simon & Schuster, 2015.

Kranish, Michael and Marc Fisher. Trump Revealed: The Definitive Biography of the 45th President. Scribner, 2016.

O’Brien, Timothy L. TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald. Warner Books, 2005.

Purtill, James. “Fred Trump, Donald Trump’s Father: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know.” Heavy.com, July 15, 2015.

Rozhon, Tracie. “Mary Anne Trump, 88, the President’s Mother, Dies.” The New York Times, August 8, 2000.