Mary L. Trump

Mary Lea Trump was born on May 3, 1965. She is an American psychologist, author, and political commentator. Trump is the niece of Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States.

Parents and Family Background:

Her mother was Linda Lea Clapp, a flight attendant. Her father was Fred Trump Jr., the eldest son of real estate developer Fred Trump, who was the father of Donald Trump. Mary Trump has an older brother, Fred Trump III. Her paternal grandfather, Fred Trump, was a prominent real estate developer, and her paternal grandmother was Mary Anne MacLeod Trump.

Early Life and Education:

Mary Trump’s father died in 1981 at the age of 42 due to a heart attack caused by alcoholism. She completed her high school education at the Ethel Walker School, graduating in 1983. She studied English literature at Tufts University and later earned a master's degree in English literature from Columbia University, focusing on writers such as William Faulkner and his fictional Compson family. She obtained a PhD in clinical psychology from the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University.

Family Estate and Will:

Fred Trump Sr.’s will divided his estate equally among his surviving children, with each grandchild receiving $200,000. In 1981, after her father’s death, lawyers recommended amending the will to provide larger shares to Fred Trump Jr.’s children due to the size of the estate, but Fred Trump Sr. declined to do so. Fred Trump Sr. was diagnosed with mild senile dementia in 1991 and subsequently developed Alzheimer’s disease. Upon his death in 1999, Mary Trump and her brother contested the will, alleging undue influence and unfair valuation of her inheritance. The family dispute included a lawsuit concerning the medical expenses of her brother’s son, William, who suffered from epileptic spasms.

Legal Proceedings:

In 2001, Mary Trump and her brother settled their lawsuit, selling their interests in the family business. She provided financial records to The New York Times for a 2018 investigation into the Trump family's finances, which highlighted alleged tax schemes to avoid over $500 million in gift taxes. In September 2020, she filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump, her aunt Maryanne Trump Barry, and the estate of her late uncle Robert Trump, claiming they defrauded her of tens of millions of dollars by undervaluing her share of Fred Trump’s real estate holdings. The lawsuit was dismissed in November 2022 due to a settlement agreement from 2001 that released the defendants from claims including fraud. She sought to appeal this decision, but her appeal was denied in June 2023.

In September 2021, Donald Trump filed a separate lawsuit against Mary Trump and The New York Times, seeking over $100 million, accusing them of using confidential documents in a conspiracy. The New York Supreme Court dismissed the case in May 2023, citing First Amendment protections for journalists. The case against Mary Trump was allowed to proceed, with further legal proceedings continuing as of June 2023.

Professional Career:

Mary Trump briefly worked at the Manhattan Psychiatric Center during her doctoral studies and contributed to the book “Diagnosis: Schizophrenia,” published by Columbia University Press in 2001. She has taught graduate courses in developmental psychology, trauma, and psychopathology. She is the founder and CEO of The Trump Coaching Group, a life-coaching company, and has owned and operated small businesses in the Northeastern United States.

Authorship:

Her debut book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” was published on July 14, 2020, by Simon & Schuster. It offers an autobiographical account of her experiences growing up in the Trump family and provides a psychological profile of Donald Trump. The book used her own memory, recorded conversations, legal, financial, and family documents, as well as investigative reporting, including the New York Times article which won a Pulitzer Prize.

Her second book, “The Reckoning: Our Nation's Trauma and Finding a Way to Heal,” was published on August 17, 2021, by St. Martin’s Press. It discusses the trauma of American history, systemic racism, and white supremacy.

Her third book, “Who Could Ever Love You,” published in 2024, is a memoir recounting her experiences related to her father’s relationship with her grandfather Fred Trump Sr.