Trump Revealed: on Budget & Economy

OpEd: 1990s bankruptcy due to ego-based purchases

The bad news seemed to weigh on his mind. "Nobody wants to write the positives," he shouted to the crowd. "Over the years, I've surprised a lot of people. The largest surprise is yet to come."

He prided himself on buying or building the very best, sometimes overpaying out of faith in the Trump name and an ever expanding market. His propensity for purchases that played to his ego had been especially evident in his acquisition of one of New York's most storied properties, the Plaza Hotel.