In case you’re curious, the title of this post is based on a Han Solo meme that went viral (thanks, Twitter).
For those of you who follow my work, you’ll know that I occasionally write satire. For those of you who don’t, satire is a form of comedy that mocks serious topics or people in satirical ways. The best kind of satire is biting but also has a point of view. So when you’re reading something satirical, you’ll know that the writer is taking a jab at something they feel strongly about (in this case, Han Solo and his iconic status as a role model for a generation of kids).
When Donald Trump was running for president, he made a lot of questionable claims (such as the ones about Mexican immigrants that started the ‘basket of deplorables’ label). Before he became president, a lot of these claims were examined, and the majority of them were found to be untrue. Even after he became president, these claims weren’t substantiated to the degree that they were before he became president.
With that in mind, let’s examine Trump’s claim that, as president, he would make “a lot of money” because people would flock to him for advice on business. To support his claim, Trump cited a CNN opinion piece that discussed his successful hosting strategy after his presidency. Here’s the thing: in the opinion piece, the CNN journalists wrote that Trump made a lot of money through his books, speeches, and even his deal-making, all of which are legitimate sources of income. However, the journalists pointed out that Trump may have inflated his truly impressive success as a businessman by mixing it with outright lies and exaggerations. Indeed, there’s no concrete evidence that Trump’s business acumen is anywhere close to the level that he (or anyone) would have you believe. Even Trump’s most avid supporters would admit that he’s not as great a businessman as he claims to be. And, you know what? Despite all of this, he’s still made an incredible amount of money.
Book Sales
Before he became president, Trump published several bestselling books on business and success. With his first book, The Art of the Deal, which was published in 1987, Trump established himself as a successful business magnate. Since then, he’s published four other business-related books, including 2018’s Trump Country: A True Homecoming.
It’s important to point out that the books that Trump has published are all bestsellers…and he’s yet to hit the 50-best seller list. Perhaps that’s because none of his books have been particularly good. His latest novel, published last year, hit the shelves and then quickly disappeared. And, even before that, his first three books all bombed so badly that, as of this writing, they aren’t available for purchase in any bookstores (despite popular demand).
With that in mind, let’s examine Trump’s claim that he would make a lot of money as president because people would flock to him for his business advice. Since he has yet to become president, we’ll have to examine this claim using metrics that actually matter. And, based on sales numbers alone, it’s clear that Trump doesn’t have what it takes to be president.
Speeches And Theaters
Another way that Trump makes money is through public speaking and appearances at theaters and other places of public entertainment. While it’s true that Trump does extremely well as a public speaker (his speeches are always well-received and packed with attendees), his claim that he would “make lots of money” because of it is another lie. While it’s true that he does make money from speeches and appearances, Trump’s claim is simply false. The reason is that Trump is one of the most unpopular candidates that we’ve ever seen in the history of American politics. Most of his speeches and appearances are made to audiences that aren’t exactly eager to hear what he’s got to say. And when he does give a speech or appear on stage, it’s usually not for a packed house. More often than not, Trump’s speeches are made to standing room only crowds or empty theaters.
And here’s the thing: even if his crowds were filled with people and his theaters were sold out, Trump would still be unable to substantiate his claim that he would make a lot of money because of it. Yes, he may make a little bit of money from speeches and appearances, but he’d be losing large sums of money in the process. After all, if Trump actually did make a lot of money from speeches and appearances, he would either be one of the richest men in the world or at least among the wealthiest. But, at this point in his life, he’s not even in the top 400 richest people in the world. (Forbes, 2019)
TV Appearances And Other Projects
Finally, let’s examine Trump’s claim that he would make a lot of money as president because he would get to appear on TV a lot. Since he’s yet to become president, we’ll have to examine this claim using metrics that actually matter. And, based on sales numbers alone, it’s clear that Trump doesn’t have what it takes to be president.
In August of this year, Trump claimed that he had been “pre-approved” for a major TV network’s coverage on his administration. While it’s true that he had initially applied for permission to appear on several major TV networks, he withdrew the applications shortly before the election. Why? Because he knew that when the application was processed, it would be revealed that he had over 100 million votes and that his campaign was well-funded and organized. In other words, it would have been exposed that he wasn’t eligible for coverage (since he hadn’t earned enough ‘points’ to be on the short list) and that his campaign was a scam. To this day, no TV network has offered Trump any presidential coverage, and he continues to hit the press circuit, making plenty of money along the way.
To support his claim that he would make a lot of money as president, Trump cited a Washington Post article that discussed his TV appearances and how he utilized them to earn millions and establish his brand. On one hand, it’s true that Trump did appear on numerous TV shows to promote his business and brand. But on the other, the article pointed out that while Trump may have appeared on countless TVs and social media platforms to promote his brand, he also mixed it with “wild claims and exaggerations” that may make you question his true motivations. For instance, the article pointed out that Trump claimed to have been the “most pre-approved” candidate in the history of American politics, which is simply not true.
Perhaps the best way to examine Trump’s claim that he would make a lot of money as president is to look at his income before and after becoming president. As you may remember, Trump routinely filed for bankruptcy several times, mainly because he owed a lot of money to banks and investors. Following his successful business career, Trump became involved in real estate development, buying and renovating properties. Now that he’s established himself as a successful businessman, he could advise businesses and entrepreneurs on how to best navigate the real estate development process. But, unfortunately, he’s too busy mixing it up with wild claims and exaggerations to be able to effectively give advice. And that, my friends, is one important reason why Trump may not become the president.
To recap, so far we’ve examined Trump’s claim that he would make a lot of money as president. We’ve seen that his claim is simply false, having been made in regards to his truly impressive business acumen and ability to monetize his status as a public figure. We’ve seen that he’s yet to establish himself as a successful businessman, having had three books (including his latest) tanked in sales. And, we’ve seen that he’s made a lot of money from speeches and TV appearances, but won’t be able to substantiate his claim that he would make a lot of money as president, even if his speaking fees were to shoot up tomorrow.
To put it simply, if you’re curious about how to make money writing smut online, there are a variety of ways that you can do so. You can start by writing and publishing your own books or short stories. You can also do so on Amazon, using a pen name if you’d like. And, since you’re already reading this post, you may also want to consider trying your hand at satire or making funny videos and posting them to YouTube. Last but not least, you can become a public speaker or appear on stage, using your voice to tell jokes or deliver speeches. While it’s true that you may not make as much money as you would as a presidential candidate, if you follow these legitimate ways to make money, you may not have to.