Donald Trump is insisting his life hasn’t always been easy and that his career only began when his father gave him a “small” $1 million loan.
During a town hall on NBC’s “TODAY” on Monday, a woman asked the Republican presidential front-runner if he had even been told “no.” Trump responded at the event in Atkinson, N.H., “oh many times,” adding, “My whole life, really, has been a ‘no.’”
“It has not been easy for me. I started off in Brooklyn. My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars,” explained the billionaire real estate mogul. “I came to Manhattan and I had to pay him back. I had to pay him back with interest. But I came into Manhattan and I started buying properties and I did great.”
Trump said his father, who owned a real estate company, had urged him to stay in Brooklyn and Queens instead.
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Host Matt Lauer noted a $1 million loan would be a lot for many Americans, to which Trump responded, “You’re right. But a million dollars isn’t very much compared to what I’ve built.”
Trump also argued that, despite his wealth, he could relate to everyday Americans. One questioner asked on Twitter if Trump had ever eaten at McDonald’s and when he last drove a car himself. The candidate, who is leading nationally in polls, said he ate at the fast food joint on Sunday night. And on driving? “I drive a car,” he said. “To me a great luxury for me is to just get into a car by myself and drive. And I do drive whenever I can. And probably a week ago.”