Random Strange Facts About Donald Trump's Childhood (15 items)

(#8) Trump Commandeered His Brother's Blocks for His First Tower

As a real estate mogul, it probably makes sense that Trump got his start - and his shark-like instincts - off the ground at an early age. A passage in The Art of the Deal, his 1987 book, about how he needed to borrow his brother's building blocks explains:
"I ended up using all of my blocks, and then all of his, and when I was done, I'd created a beautiful building. I liked it so much that I glued the whole thing together. And that was the end of Robert's blocks."
(#1) He Punched His Second-Grade Music Teacher in the Face

In his 1987 book The Art of the Deal, Trump writes about how, even as a child, he had strong convictions.
"In the second grade I actually gave a teacher a black eye — I punched my music teacher because I didn't think he knew anything about music and I almost got expelled. I'm not proud of that, but it's clear evidence that even early on I had a tendency to stand up and make my opinions known in a very forceful way. The difference now is that I use my brain instead of my fists."
(#7) Behavior Problems Forced Him to Change Schools

The facts here are murky, but Trump moved from the Kew-Forest School to the New York Military Academy before he started high school. Trump's father, Fred, a wealthy real estate developer, was on the board of trustees at Kew-Forest, so for Trump to up and move schools suggests there were some issues. Indeed, his parents hoped the change of scenery would allow Donald to mature and that “the discipline of the school would channel his energy in a positive manner.”

Trump went on to get an Ivy League education, so it worked out well.
(#14) He Attended Positive Thinking Church With His Parents

As a child, Donald Trump attended the Marble Collegiate Church in New York City with his parents. The pastor of this particular church, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, was famous outside of religious circles for a book he penned: The Power of Positive Thinking. In the church (just like in the book), Peale preached having faith in the self, emphasizing the importance of always being positive and never being negative.

Little Donald's faith tradition is referred to as "prosperity gospel" by some scholars.
(#12) He Learned How to Be a Success from His Father
During summers as a teenager, Trump would follow his father around building sites working for him. It was in these situations where he learned principles that would stay with him. He wrote in The Art of the Deal, "My father would start a building in, say, Flatbush, at the same time that two competitors began putting up their own buildings nearby. Invariably, my father would finish his building three or four months before his competitors did. His building would always be a little better-looking than the other two, with a nicer, more spacious lobby and larger rooms in the apartments themselves."
(#11) Trump Worked Construction for His Dad

Donald Trump certainly has an impressive work ethic, a value that was instilled during his youth. With his father being in real estate, it is probably no surprise that Trump spent his summers in middle school and high school working on construction sites.

Being around that business also helped position Trump for his future success.