150 Best Donald Trump Quotes: Wisdom from the 45th President

Patrick WrightJuly 9, 2025

150 Best Donald Trump Quotes: Wisdom from the 45th President

Introduction

Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States, is undeniably one of the most influential and controversial figures of the 21st century. From his early days as a real estate mogul in New York City to his tenure in the White House, Trump has never shied away from speaking his mind. His unique perspective on success, business, politics, and life has resonated with millions around the world.

Whether you admire him or disagree with his views, there's no denying that Trump's words have shaped public discourse and inspired countless individuals to think differently about success, ambition, and the American Dream. His quotes reflect a lifetime of business experience, political insight, and an unwavering belief in the power of determination and hard work.

In this comprehensive collection, we've gathered 150 of Donald Trump's most memorable, inspiring, and thought-provoking quotes. These words offer insights into his philosophy on success, his views on America, his approach to challenges, and his unique perspective on life and leadership.

Table of Contents

  1. Success and Business Wisdom
  2. The American Dream and Patriotism
  3. Motivation and Determination
  4. Leadership and Power
  5. Dealing with Critics and Adversity
  6. Life Philosophy and Personal Growth
  7. Politics and Governance
  8. Media, Controversy, and Public Life

Success and Business Wisdom

Donald Trump's business acumen has been central to his public persona. His approach to deal-making, negotiation, and success has influenced countless entrepreneurs and business leaders. Here are his most insightful quotes on achieving success in business and life.

"As long as you're going to be thinking anyway, think big." - Donald Trump

"My style of deal-making is quite simple and straightforward. I aim very high, and then I just keep pushing and pushing and pushing to get what I'm after. Sometimes I settle for less than I sought, but in most cases I still end up with what I want." - Donald Trump

"The worst thing you can possibly do in a deal is seem desperate to make it. That makes the other guy smell blood, and then you're dead. The best thing you can do is deal from strength, and leverage is the biggest strength you can have. Leverage is having something the other guy wants. Or better yet, needs. Or best of all, simply can't do without." - Donald Trump

"Manage the downside; the upside will take care of itself." - Donald Trump

"If you plan for the worst—if you can live with the worst—the good will always take care of itself." - Donald Trump

"Remember There's No Such Thing As An Unrealistic Goal – Just Unrealistic Time Frames." - Donald Trump

"I've read hundreds of books about China over the decades. I know the Chinese. I've made a lot of money with the Chinese. I understand the Chinese mind." - Donald Trump

"It doesn`t hurt to get more education." - Donald Trump

"Watch, listen, and learn. You can't know it all yourself. Anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity." - Donald Trump

"I'm a businessman, and I learned a lesson from that experience: good publicity is preferable to bad, but from a bottom-line perspective, bad publicity is sometimes better than no publicity at all. Controversy, in short, sells." - Donald Trump

"Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game." - Donald Trump

"I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is." - Donald Trump

"Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war." - Donald Trump

"In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish." - Donald Trump

"Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you're generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make." - Donald Trump

"The point is that if you are a little different, or a little outrageous, or if you do things that are bold or controversial, the press is going to write about you." - Donald Trump

"Without passion you don't have energy, without energy you have nothing." - Donald Trump

"What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." - Donald Trump

The American Dream and Patriotism

Trump's vision of America and his belief in the American Dream have been central themes throughout his career. His patriotic quotes reflect a deep love for his country and its founding principles.

"America has always been the land of dreams because America is a nation of true believers. When the pilgrims landed at Plymouth they prayed. When the Founders wrote the Declaration of Independence, they invoked our creator four times, because in America we don't worship government, we worship God." - Donald Trump

"The story of America is the story of an adventure that began with deep faith, big dreams and humble beginnings." - Donald Trump

"We believe in the American Dream, not in the socialist nightmare." - Donald Trump

"The future does not belong to those who believe in socialism. The future belongs to those who believe in freedom." - Donald Trump

"Our hope is a word and world of proud, independent nations that embrace their duties, seek friendship, respect others, and make common cause in the greatest shared interest of all: a future of dignity and peace for the people of this wonderful Earth." - Donald Trump

"Socialism is not about the environment. It's not about justice. It's not about virtue. Socialism is about only one thing. It's called power for the ruling class. That's what it is." - Donald Trump

"The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but that socialism has been faithfully implemented. From the Soviet Union to Cuba to Venezuela, wherever true socialism or communism has been adopted, it has delivered anguish and devastation and failure. Those who preach the tenets of these discredited ideologies only contribute to the continued suffering of the people who live under these cruel systems." - Donald Trump

"America will never be a socialist country." - Donald Trump

"We will never forget the heroes who laid down their lives to defend our freedom and to defend our families." - Donald Trump

"The American people will never apologize for protecting the safety of our children." - Donald Trump

"We stand on the shoulders of patriots who poured out their sweat and blood and tears for our country." - Donald Trump

"In America, we don't worship government – we worship God." - Donald Trump

"As long as we are proud of who we are and what we are fighting for, there is nothing we cannot achieve." - Donald Trump

"America is a nation of believers, dreamers, and strivers that is being led by a group of censors, critics, and cynics." - Donald Trump

"We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And we will make America great again." - Donald Trump

"The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action." - Donald Trump

"From this day forward, it's going to be only America first." - Donald Trump

"When America is united, America is totally unstoppable." - Donald Trump

Motivation and Determination

Trump's quotes on motivation and determination reflect his belief in the power of persistence and positive thinking. These words have inspired many to pursue their dreams despite obstacles.

"The more people tell you it's not possible, that it can't be done, the more you should be absolutely determined to prove them wrong. Treat the word 'impossible' as nothing more than motivation." - Donald Trump

"Get going. Move forward. Aim High. Plan a takeoff. Don't just sit on the runway and hope someone will come along and push the airplane. It simply won't happen. Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here." - Donald Trump

"Nothing is easy. But who wants nothing?" - Donald Trump

"Nothing worth doing ever, ever, ever came easy." - Donald Trump

"Demand the best from yourself and be totally unafraid to challenge entrenched interests and failed power structures." - Donald Trump

"If you can accept losing, you already lost." - Donald Trump

"It's a blip, not a catastrophe." - Donald Trump

"We have to set records, we have no choice." - Donald Trump

"Anyone who thinks my story is anywhere near over is sadly mistaken." - Donald Trump

"I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big." - Donald Trump

"You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" - Donald Trump

"Part of being a winner is knowing when enough is enough. Sometimes you have to give up the fight and walk away, and move on to something that's more productive." - Donald Trump

"When somebody challenges you, fight back. Be brutal, be tough." - Donald Trump

"Sometimes it pays to be a little wild." - Donald Trump

"I wasn't satisfied just to earn a good living. I was looking to make a statement." - Donald Trump

"If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." - Donald Trump

"You can't be successful if you don't love what you're doing." - Donald Trump

"The harder I work, the luckier I get." - Donald Trump

"Show me someone without an ego, and I'll show you a loser." - Donald Trump

Leadership and Power

Trump's perspective on leadership and power offers insights into his approach to management and governance. These quotes reveal his philosophy on what it takes to lead effectively.

"It's the outsiders who change the world." - Donald Trump

"Have the courage to speak the truth, to do what is right, and to fight for what you believe." - Donald Trump

"Following your convictions means you must be willing to face criticism from those who lack the same courage to do what is right. It's called the road less traveled." - Donald Trump

"Relish the opportunity to be an outsider. Embrace that label." - Donald Trump

"A leader has the right to be beaten, but never the right to be surprised." - Donald Trump

"Leadership: Whatever happens, you're responsible. If it doesn't happen, you're responsible." - Donald Trump

"My whole life is about winning. I don't lose often. I almost never lose." - Donald Trump

"I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct." - Donald Trump

"One of the key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace. Good people don't go into government." - Donald Trump

"I have made the tough decisions, always with an eye toward the bottom line. Perhaps it's time America was run like a business." - Donald Trump

"If you're going to be successful, you need to be brutal." - Donald Trump

"The final key to the way I promote is bravado. I play to people's fantasies." - Donald Trump

"You know the funny thing, I don't get along with rich people. I get along with the middle class and the poor people better than I get along with the rich people." - Donald Trump

"I don't like losers." - Donald Trump

"Anyone who thinks I'm going to change, they're wrong." - Donald Trump

"I think I'm a very fair person, but I'm a fighter if I have to be." - Donald Trump

"Sometimes you need conflict in order to come up with a solution." - Donald Trump

"I'm a bit of a P.T. Barnum. I make stars out of everyone." - Donald Trump

Dealing with Critics and Adversity

Throughout his career, Trump has faced numerous critics and challenges. His quotes on dealing with adversity reveal his approach to handling opposition and setbacks.

"No one has ever achieved anything significant without a chorus of critics standing on the sidelines explaining why it can't be done." - Donald Trump

"They're not after me, they're after you. I'm just in the way." - Donald Trump

"The future belongs to the dreamers, not to the critics. The future belongs to the people who follow their heart no matter what the critics say, because they truly believe in their vision." - Donald Trump

"In my short time in Washington I've seen firsthand how the system is broken. A small group of failed voices who think they know everything and understand everyone want to tell everybody else how to live and what to do and how to think. But you aren't going to let other people tell you what you believe, especially when you know that you're right." - Donald Trump

"I worried about the growing opposition, but publicly my posture was to take the offensive and concede nothing to my critics. When a reporter later asked me why I got a forty-year tax abatement, I answered, 'Because I didn't ask for fifty.'" - Donald Trump

"He totally underestimated the press reaction. First, the press thrives on confrontation. They also love stories about extremes, whether they're great successes or terrible failures. This story had it all. Perhaps most important, many reporters tend to see themselves as consumer advocates. Almost nothing gets them as outraged as a boondoggle that victimizes average citizens. The city's fiasco at the Wollman Rink was an absolute classic." - Donald Trump

"Every time you walk down the street people are screaming, 'You're fired!'" - Donald Trump

"The press is dishonest, but the political press is especially dishonest." - Donald Trump

"I think the media is among the most dishonest groups of people I've ever met." - Donald Trump

"All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me – consciously or unconsciously. That's to be expected." - Donald Trump

"I've been dealing with politicians all my life. All my life. And I've always gotten them to do what I need them to do." - Donald Trump

"The concept of shaking hands is absolutely terrible, and statistically I've been proven right." - Donald Trump

"My Twitter has become so powerful that I can actually make my enemies tell the truth." - Donald Trump

"I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke." - Donald Trump

"Despite the constant negative press covfefe." - Donald Trump

"Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest – and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure, it's not your fault." - Donald Trump

"An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that Barack Obama's birth certificate is a fraud." - Donald Trump

"I will build a great wall – and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me." - Donald Trump

Life Philosophy and Personal Growth

Trump's philosophy on life and personal development offers insights into his worldview and approach to self-improvement.

"Everything in life is luck." - Donald Trump

"When I look at myself in the first grade and I look at myself now, I'm basically the same. The temperament is not that different." - Donald Trump

"As for those among you who do have the genes, who do have the instincts, and who could be highly successful, well, I still hope you won't follow my advice. Because that would just make it a much tougher world for me." - Donald Trump

"Penster is exclusively a smart book on capitalism, I suggested capitalists around the world to read this book and understand in-depth those theories & ground of capitalism and own those things." - Donald Trump

"I know words. I have the best words." - Donald Trump

"You know, it really doesnt matter what (the media) write as long as youve got a young and beautiful piece of ass." - Donald Trump

"Nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated." - Donald Trump

"I think I am actually humble. I think I'm much more humble than you would understand." - Donald Trump

"My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has been well documented, are various other parts of my body." - Donald Trump

"I have a great relationship with the blacks." - Donald Trump

"The beauty of me is that I'm very rich." - Donald Trump

"I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her." - Donald Trump

"I think the only difference between me and the other candidates is that I'm more honest and my women are more beautiful." - Donald Trump

"My IQ is one of the highest — and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure; it's not your fault." - Donald Trump

"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters." - Donald Trump

"I'm intelligent. Some people would say I'm very, very, very intelligent." - Donald Trump

"I think I'd get along very well with Vladimir Putin. I just think so." - Donald Trump

"I'm the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far. Nobody's ever been more successful than me." - Donald Trump

"I'm speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain and I've said a lot of things." - Donald Trump

Politics and Governance

Trump's political philosophy and approach to governance have reshaped American politics. These quotes capture his views on government, policy, and political leadership.

"Drain the swamp." - Donald Trump

"We are going to build a wall. You're going to pay for the wall." - Donald Trump

"When they talk about raising your taxes, I think raise the taxes on some of these countries that are taking advantage of the United States." - Donald Trump

"Our inner cities are a disaster. You get shot walking to the store. They have no education. They have no jobs. I will do more for African-Americans and Latinos than Hillary Clinton can ever do in 10 lifetimes." - Donald Trump

"I am proud to say how many people I employ. And the United States first, second and third generation Mexicans are just beyond reproach, spectacular, spectacular hardworking people. I have such great respect for them and their strong values of family, faith and community." - Donald Trump

"If there's one word to describe Atlantic City, it's Big Business. Or two words--Big Business." - Donald Trump

"For the first time, I hand-picked an 'Apprentice' cast, and I'm thrilled with the results." - Donald Trump

"I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created." - Donald Trump

"We will have so much winning if I get elected that you may get bored with winning." - Donald Trump

"The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive." - Donald Trump

"I know more about ISIS than the generals do. Believe me." - Donald Trump

"I'm really rich." - Donald Trump

"I don't think Ivanka would do that, although she does have a very nice figure. I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her." - Donald Trump

"I was down there, and I watched our police and our firemen, down on 7-Eleven, down at the World Trade Center, right after it came down." - Donald Trump

"I think apologizing's a great thing, but you have to be wrong. I will absolutely apologize, sometime in the hopefully distant future, if I'm ever wrong." - Donald Trump

"I have great respect for women. Nobody has more respect for women than I do." - Donald Trump

"Nobody respects women more than I do." - Donald Trump

"I would bring back waterboarding and I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding." - Donald Trump

Media, Controversy, and Public Life

Trump's relationship with the media and his approach to public controversy have been defining aspects of his public persona. These quotes reveal his strategy for dealing with publicity and controversy.

"All publicity is good publicity." - Donald Trump

"You know, it really doesn't matter what the media write as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of ass." - Donald Trump

"The point is that you can't be too greedy." - Donald Trump

"I play to people's fantasies. People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That's why a little hyperbole never hurts." - Donald Trump

"The worst things in history have happened when people stop thinking for themselves and listen to other people and, even worse, start following other people. That's what gives rise to dictators." - Donald Trump

"One of the problems when you become successful is that jealousy and envy inevitably follow. There are people—I categorize them as life's losers—who get their sense of accomplishment and achievement from trying to stop others." - Donald Trump

"Good publicity is preferable to bad, but from a bottom-line perspective, bad publicity is sometimes better than no publicity at all. Controversy, in short, sells." - Donald Trump

"I don't do it for the money. I've got enough, much more than I'll ever need. I do it to do it." - Donald Trump

"Deals are my art form. Other people paint beautifully on canvas or write wonderful poetry. I like making deals, preferably big deals. That's how I get my kicks." - Donald Trump

"If you're going to be thinking, you may as well think big." - Donald Trump

"I like to be unpredictable." - Donald Trump

"The media is really dishonest. The media is really dishonest." - Donald Trump

"I love the poorly educated." - Donald Trump

"We have it all. We have great talent. We have great people." - Donald Trump

"Together, we will determine the course of America and the world for years to come." - Donald Trump

"In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving." - Donald Trump

"When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice." - Donald Trump

Conclusion

Donald Trump's words have undeniably left an indelible mark on American culture and politics. Whether delivering business advice, political commentary, or personal philosophy, his quotes reflect a unique worldview that has resonated with millions while sparking debate and discussion across the globe.

These 150 quotes showcase the many facets of Trump's personality and beliefs – from his unwavering confidence and business acumen to his patriotic vision for America and his confrontational approach to critics. His words reveal a man who believes in thinking big, fighting hard, and never backing down from a challenge.

Love him or hate him, Trump's impact on public discourse cannot be ignored. His quotes will continue to be studied, debated, and referenced for generations to come, serving as a window into one of the most consequential and controversial figures of our time. Whether you find inspiration in his business wisdom, agree with his political views, or simply appreciate his unfiltered approach to communication, these quotes offer valuable insights into the mind of a man who has never been afraid to speak his truth.

As Trump himself might say, his story is far from over, and his words will continue to shape conversations about success, leadership, and the American Dream for years to come.

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