Art of the deal? How Trump's business myth tricked the world

The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Podmasters

News, Government, Politics, Society & Culture

4.6 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 29 October 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Donald Trump built his brand on the myth of the self-made billionaire. The man who turned a ‘small loan’ from his father into a global empire. But behind the gold-plated image lies a trail of bankruptcies, bailouts, and creative accounting that kept his empire afloat. Today on The Bunker, Jacob Jarvis is joined by Russ Buettner, journalist and author of Lucky Loser, to take a magnifying glass to Trump’s finances and ask how a serially failing businessman convinced millions he was the ultimate winner? Buy Russ’s book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll be helping the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • Head to nakedwines.co.uk/thebunker to get 6 top-rated wines from our sponsor Naked Wines for £39.99, delivery included. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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0:00.0	We run adverts on our podcasts so we can pay our team and our freelancers, but we know that
0:05.7	commercial messages are not everyone's cup of tea, so if you'd rather listen without ads,
0:10.8	there's an easy solution. Just support us on Patreon for ad-free episodes. Follow the link in the
0:16.7	show notes to find out more.
0:18.6	Please start clear of the gap. Another morning, another reminder there's a gap to be careful of, but maybe it's time to
0:24.1	bridge the one between your 9 to 5 and your dream of living life on your own terms.
0:28.8	At HSBC, we know ambition looks different to everyone.
0:31.9	Whether it's retiring early or leaving more for your family, we can help, because when it
0:36.0	comes to unlocking your money's potential, we know wealth.
0:39.2	Search HSBC Wealth today. HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity.
0:44.2	HSBC UK current account holders only.
0:49.4	Are you stuck in traffic watching brake lights, and you'd rather be watching the northern lights?
0:55.8	At HSBC, we know ambition looks different to everyone. Whether it's retiring early or leaving
1:00.6	more for your family, we can help because when it comes to unlocking your money's potential,
1:05.6	we know wealth. Search HSBC Wealth today to get your financial future moving. HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity. HSBC Wealth today to get your financial future moving.
1:13.6	HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity.
1:16.0	HSBC UK current account holders only.
1:21.3	Where do you find a clear signal in a world of static?
1:24.5	In a time of rapid change, cut through the noise.
1:28.3	The economist goes beyond the headlines to decode the forces shaping today and defining tomorrow. Get the full story. It's more than news. It's a trusted
1:34.6	global perspective. The economist know which way is up. Hello and welcome to The Bunker, your daily dose of news without the nonsense.
1:52.4	I'm Jacob Jarvis.
	...

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