Donald John Trump announced his victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election on November 6, 2024, then took the oath of office in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025, becoming the 47th President of the United States. After four years, Trump restarted his presidential career, but it remains uncertain whether his business empire can return in sync with his political comeback.
As a hotel furniture supplier in China, we know that Trump once had a large hotel group. The Trump International Hotel was established in 2007 and at its peak had 18 branch hotels worldwide. It also included many projects such as private golf clubs and luxury residences.
During the four years after he stepped down as president, this hotel empire faced a series of heavy blows, including shutdowns, rebranding, and sales. Currently, only eight branches remain.
Even just months before Trump was elected president, he was embroiled in a $460 million fraud lawsuit and was on the verge of an ‘economic crisis.’
The $460 million fraud case is about to be settled
In early 2024, there were reports that Trump was embroiled in a fraud lawsuit and faced a fine of $464 million.
It was this lawsuit that briefly plunged him into an ‘economic crisis,’ with many of his famous assets, including the Trump Tower in Manhattan, Seven Springs Estate, Mar-a-Lago, and others, facing the risk of being seized.
There were even rumors that Trump would sell the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas to raise the massive bail money needed to prevent his assets from being seized.
Fortunately, in the end, Trump’s supporters generously stepped in, helping him raise $175 million in bail to weather the crisis.
Trump has consistently stated that this economic lawsuit is a political maneuver, with his opponents trying to prevent him from having enough funds to run for office.
The lawsuit also held a hearing on September 26, 2024, and it is expected that the judge will issue a ruling after Trump is officially elected President of the United States.
For Trump at this point, the economic crisis is no longer a concern, but is it really so easy to save his crumbling hotel empire?
Even the president can’t run hotels well
Trump’s hotel empire was founded in 2007, built by him and his three children under the brand Trump International Hotels, a part of the family business, The Trump Organization.
As a titan of the U.S. hotel industry, this hotel group once owned 18 hotels at its peak, each one a landmark in its local area.
However, during his first presidency, Trump’s hotel empire was already facing a series of crises.
In November 2017, the Trump SOHO Hotel in Manhattan, New York, announced it would rebrand. Soon after, in 2018, the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Florida’s Trump Ocean Club was rebranded as a JW Marriott Hotel.
After he left the presidency, the collapse of Trump hotels empire seemed to accelerate. In 2020, the Trump International Hotel in Vancouver, Canada, shut down, and 2,800 hotel employees were laid off. In 2022, the landmark Trump International Hotel in Washington was sold for $375 million and quickly rebranded as a Waldorf Astoria. In November of last year, Trump’s hotel in Hawaii, the Wākea Waikiki Beach, was also rebranded, joining the Hilton LXR luxury resort collection.
The once-glorious Trump International Hotel Group now has only eight remaining branches: in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Virginia, and even in Ireland and Scotland.
However, with Trump being re-elected president, this crumbling hotel empire may very well have a chance at revival.
Never gave up on Trump’s hotel empire
Trump may be even more adept at business than at being president.
As the most famous super-rich individual in the U.S., and the wealthiest president in U.S. history, Trump’s business resume is truly legendary.
Trump once co-owned the Hyatt Group’s Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York, until 1996 when he sold his stake to Hyatt for $142 million.
He also owned the predecessor to the Ritz-Carlton Central Park in New York in 1985, and within just three years, he bought and sold it for $72 million and $180 million, respectively, making a net profit of $100 million.
Trump was also the owner of the legendary Hotel Plaza in New York, and not only did he make a clever cameo in the film Home Alone, which used the Plaza Hotel as a filming location, but he also hosted his second wedding there.
Even the former Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C., which was mocked when it was quickly rebranded as a Waldorf Astoria, netted Trump $100 million before he sold it. Moreover, the hotel recently made headlines when its new owner defaulted on a $285 million loan, which led many to believe that Trump’s decision to sell was indeed a wise one.
From a long-term investment perspective, Trump’s hotels have brought him substantial returns beyond just financial profits: massive media attention as a celebrity billionaire, and connections to the political world through iconic hotels like the Hotel Plaza, which attracted wealthy followers.
In fact, Trump has never given up on his hotel empire. In 2024, Trump International Hotels announced plans to enter Muscat, Oman, collaborating with local luxury real estate developer Dar Global to create a $500 million hotel project.
The Trump Organization also plans to build a Trump Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in partnership with Dar Global.
Trump’s hotels expanding into the Middle East also aligns with his personal affinity for the region and mirrors his foreign policy approach during his presidency.
With the backing of the presidency in 2024, Trump is confident that he can revive the glory of his hotel empire.
Hotels in Trump Hotels Empire
Finally, let’s take a look back at this president’s hotel empire:
1. Grand Hyatt New York (Sold)
The project where Trump’s connection to the hotel industry began.
In 1976, Trump partnered with Hyatt to acquire the Commodore Hotel and transformed it into a 25-story modern hotel with a mirror-glass and stainless steel exterior.
This was also the beginning of his hotel empire and the signature architectural style that would define it.
2. Plaza Hotel New York (Sold)
Trump purchased the legendary Plaza Hotel in 1988 for $407.5 million and embarked on an extensive renovation.
Trump praised this iconic hotel as “a work of art that made me fall in love with it,” adding a Japanese restaurant and bar, and even installing luxurious agate in every bathroom to restore its former grandeur.
3. Trump International Hotel New York
The flagship of Trump’s current hotel empire.
Located just steps away from Columbus Circle, Lincoln Center, and Fifth Avenue, with stunning views of Central Park, this hotel boasts an unparalleled location.
It also has two Michelin-starred restaurants, one of which is run by Jean-Georges, and even offers 24-hour room service provided by Jean-Georges.
4. Trump International Hotel Las Vegas
The hotel that almost got sold.
This luxury hotel, opened in 2008, resides in a massive 64-story tower with 1,282 rooms.
Notably, the hotel is located on the Las Vegas Strip but does not have a casino, and is a smoke-free property, making it unique in Las Vegas.
5. Trump National Doral Miami
A 60-year-old legendary golf resort in Miami.
Under Trump’s ownership, the resort now features four championship golf courses, new Har-Tru tennis courts, and the Royal Palm Pool, embodying Trump’s signature luxurious resort aesthetic.
6. Trump International Hotel Chicago
A landmark building on the Chicago River, standing at 423 meters tall, it’s the seventh tallest building in the U.S. and the second tallest in Chicago.
The hotel, with Trump’s iconic glass curtain wall and steel structure, offers sweeping views of Chicago’s skyline.
7. Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Doonbeg Ireland
A rare combination of castle, hotel and golf links.
Trump transformed this seaside castle into a golf resort, complete with a scenic ocean-view restaurant and a haven for surfers.
8. Trump Turnberry Hotel & Resort Scotland
Home to the prestigious Open Championship four times, this historic landmark in Scotland dates back 120 years.
Located on the Ayrshire coast, the resort offers unmatched old-world luxury, including suites converted from a historic lighthouse.
9. Trump MacLeod House & Lodge Hotel in Aberdeen
A historic building hidden in dense forest, dating back to the 14th century, and home to just 19 guestrooms.
The hotel also has a golf course, showing Trump’s passion for building golf resorts worldwide.
10. Albemarle Estate at Trump Winery in Virginia
Known as “America’s Treasure,” this is the largest vineyard in Virginia.
Trump transformed this historically famous estate into an ultra-luxurious boutique hotel, adding a library bar, private dining rooms, outdoor and indoor pools, a private cinema, and fishing ponds, among other opulent amenities.
11. Trump International Hotel Muscat
This resort, still under development, is located about 10 minutes from downtown Muscat, near the coast, and boasts an 18-hole golf course and 140 rooms.
12. Trump Hotel Vietnam
Trump International Hotels is also expanding into Asia for the first time—into Vietnam. In partnership with Kinh Bac City Development Holding Corporation, a joint venture will develop a five-star hotel, a championship golf course, and luxury residences in Vietnam.
Summary
Looking back at Trump’s hotel empire, it’s clear that, despite the ups and downs, Trump’s taste and aesthetic have always remained intact.
