Ridiculously Expensive Things The Trumps Have Spent Money On

There's no denying the Trump family is rich. Like, really rich. Sitting right at the helm is the real estate tycoon-turned-President of the United States, Donald Trump. In 2015, The Apprentice alum declared his own net worth in true Trump fashion — with full capitalization: "As of this date, Mr. Trump's net worth is in excess of TEN BILLION DOLLARS." While this claim brought on some raised eyebrows from the public (and a lower assessment done by Forbes), it's still no secret that the Trumps are bathing in wealth. 

Everything that glitters for Donald Trump is definitely gold. While the Trump Tower in Las Vegas is quite literally coated in 24-karat gold, his first day in the Oval Office saw him replacing former President Barack Obama's red curtains with his signature color ... which is also featured in the interiors of most of his toys and living quarters (but more on this later). The man whose mantra is, "He who has the gold makes the rules," may have influenced his entire family, as the whole brood enjoys their flashy and eye-popping expenses.

With the hope that a little bit of that Midas touch rubs off on the rest of us, let's take a peek at the ridiculously expensive things the Trump family owns.

Donald Trump may have to start reeling in some of his more careless spending habits. According to Forbes, "If Trump were to die today, his heirs would likely find themselves stuck with more than $1.3 billion in state and federal estate taxes." Yikes. So, what would be considered reckless splurging? Perhaps buying a yacht when you don't even like boating.

In 1989, Boat International ran a story on Trump's 86-meter yacht, originally called Nabila, which he purchased from Saudi Arabian businessman Adnan Khashoggi. Renaming it the Trump Princess, he referred to the nautical beast has a "level of quality." But did he truly appreciate it? "I'm not into them," Trump said of his general interest in boats. "I've been on friends' boats before and couldn't get off fast enough." Kind of a bizarre statement to make considering he spent almost $30 million on what he's called "the ultimate toy." 

As for the specs that made the Trump Princess so impressive? The interior, which reportedly cost more than the exterior itself. So eye-catching was the entire yacht, in fact, that it was actually featured in the James Bond flick Never Say Never Again. Having decided to sell it in 1991, perhaps Trump finally got bored with his "incredible toy"?

Housing mogul Donald Trump is so known for his apparent knack for real estate that there's even a video game based on his brand. Along with his penchant for buying properties, Trump loves playing host, too. What's the best way to entertain? In a space that boasts 126 rooms, of course. 

According to Echo Fine Properties, Trump purchased the luxurious Palm Beach estate, the Mar-a-Lago, for $10 million in 1985. Built in 1924 by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, the 17-acre property has three bomb shelters, six tennis courts, a swimming pool, a 20,000 square foot ballroom, a spa, and a gym. The Trump family lived there for ten years before converting it into a private club — but with all those amenities, it's no wonder Trump decided to keep a portion for himself and his family. 

As reported by The Smithsonian Magazine, the 45th president has even dubbed his holiday getaway "the Winter White House." Having observed the wealthy homeowner, Palm Beach society writer Jose Lambiet told The Guardian in March 2019, "He comes out in the early evening, he walks around and he shakes hands with everybody." Clearly, President Trump still adores acting like the ultimate host.

Melania Trump has a flair for fashion. The Slovenian-born former model actually pursued her career in Paris and Milan before arriving to New York. According to her 2016 GQ profile, it was in the Big Apple that she met her husband. "I didn't know much about Donald Trump," she dished to the mag. "I had my life, I had my world. I didn't follow Donald Trump and what kind of life he had." The rest, as they say, however, was history. 

From the moment she walked down the aisle in an elaborate dress estimated to be worth $100,000, the world knew Melania had expensive taste. Now, as First Lady, and with more cameras on her than ever, she makes sure she's always decked out in the most stylish of frocks. But there was one ensemble that left the public in complete shock — a very colorful floral applique jacket by Dolce & Gabbana that cost a whopping $51,000. According to The Chicago Tribune, Melania wore the jacket for her first outing in Sicily at the end of May 2017, but caused an immediate public outcry since the price of the coat is "several thousand dollars below the median U.S. income in 2015." 

True as this may be, it's also worthwhile to note that the government does not actually give the first ladies an allowance for clothing. Whatever the case, the glam jacket was truly a sight to behold.

Eric and Donald Trump Jr. came under fire back in 2012 when TMZ revealed they were avid safari hunters, publishing photos of the duo proudly showcasing their wildlife kills in Zimbabwe — including elephant, crocodile, civet cat, and waterbuck. Of course, wildlife enthusiasts began protesting, even dragging Donald Trump down with his sons. "My sons love hunting," the then-businessman released in a statement to the goss site. "They're hunters and they've become good at it. I am not a believer in hunting and I'm surprised they like it." 

We bet they didn't pay for all the backlash, but the hobby itself is an expensive one. The Associated Press reports that it can cost upwards to $50,000 to go on a safari hunt — not including airfare. After TMZ ran this story, Donald Jr. actually defended his stance while "raring to talk" to Forbes, which ran a feature on the entire situation. Refusing to apologize, the eldest of Donald's sons explained, "Anyone who thinks hunters are just 'bloodthirsty morons' hasn't looked into hunting ... you're sure to learn hunting isn't about killing. Nature actually humbles you." He then noted, "Hunting forces a person to endure ... to truly get to know the wild environment. Actually, along the way, hunting and fishing makes you fall in love with the natural world."

It's no secret that a status symbol among the high-class elite is owning a private jet. If you're Donald Trump, however, you own a Boeing 757 — a massive commercial plane. Even in his own book, The Art Of The Deal, Trump admitted, "It was a little more plane than I needed, but I find it hard to resist a good deal when the opportunity presents itself."

As reported by The New York Times, the luxury jet was made in 1991, has been dubbed "The Trump Force One" by the boss himself, and has had extensive customizations to make it even more opulent. Wondering what makes it so special? Don't worry, the Trump Organization made sure to boast about the remodeled interior in a YouTube video, starring none other than The Apprentice's Amanda Miller. According to The New York Times, a regular 757 built in the '90s has "roughly 200 seats" — which Trump promptly got rid of. Instead, the jet seats 43 passengers, all secured with 24 karat gold-plated seats (naturally). Along with being tricked out with an impressive dining room, master and guest bedrooms, shower, and big-screen TVs throughout, it's no wonder this behemoth is the flashy tycoon's fave.

It wasn't enough for Donald Trump to totally revamp his Boeing 757 jet — he also did the same with a helicopter. It's not just his only chopper, either, as some may remember that the original intro of The Apprentice featured a black "TRUMP" copter. 

As for his custom, multi-million dollar helicopter, Trump had some help making it the luxe beast it is today. According to an episode of CNBC's Secret Lives of the Super Rich, the business mogul hired Eric Roth — the same man responsible for his Trump Force One — for the job. "When I got a call from the owner, I hadn't spoken to him in two years since we did his Boeing," Roth explained to the show. "He said, 'Eric, can you come down? I want to meet with you, I'm buying a new helicopter and I want you to outfit it.' I said, 'Well, what does it look like?' He said, 'That's why we're meeting.'" 

According to the show, the helicopter is a Sikorsky, a.k.a. "the Bentley of helicopters." The cost to purchase a regular Sikorsky is between $5-7 million — with an outdated interior. The solution? An entire, albeit pricey, makeover. Per Roth, "All the hardware for the seats is 24 karat gold-plated to match the rest of the gold plated throughout the aircraft." The tab for the revamp? Almost one billion dollars. 

As the youngest of Donald Trump's children, Barron Trump must, of course, have the finest education provided to him by way of his presidential father. While living in New York with his famous parents, Barron attended Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School — the same school which housed famed Moby Dick writer, Herman Melville (via Newsweek). The school's tuition? Almost $50,000 per year.

After Donald Trumps's inauguration in January 2017, Melania and Barron famously decided to stay in the Big Apple instead of moving to the White House, so he could finish the school year. "The campaign has been difficult for Barron, and [Melania] is really hoping to keep disruption to a minimum," a source cited by the New York Post claimed, while another insider added, "She is really devoted to Barron."

Once the mother-son duo decided to make the move, Barron naturally had to change schools, too. At the time of this writing, he's currently attending the private St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Maryland. Stating that she and Donald were "very excited" about Barron's academic transition to this school, Melania told The Washington Post, "It is known for its diverse community and commitment to academic excellence." As for the cost of his new school? Tuition fees are $40,000. 

Ivanka Trump definitely has a different taste in art than her father. While Donald Trump reportedly goes incognito as a fake bidder to buy a portrait of himself, his daughter has more of a refined selection regarding what goes on her walls at home. Can you put a price on a cultivated art collection? Ivanka most certainly can. In 2017, The Guardian revealed that the price tag for her hobby came in at $25 million! 

The art fanatic businesswoman is known to boast a plethora of shots of her collection on her Instagram page. But having your art collection on such prominent display can bring out some haters — especially if you come from such a controversial family. According to The Guardian, American painter Richard Prince actually "disowned" a piece which Ivanka bought, even returning his $36,000 fee and tweeting, "This is not my work. I did not make it. I deny. I denounce. This fake art." Another artist, Alex Da Corte, decided to take a more direct approach. Per ArtFCity, he commented on one of Ivanka's Instagram posts, writing, "Ivanka Trump, please get my work off of your walls. I am embarrassed to be seen with you." Cringe.

When you're rolling in billionaire dough, you're bound to have a luxe car collection. Unfortunately for Donald Trump, he can't drive anymore as president. That's right, gone are the days of zooming around in his Rolls-Royce while listening to Taylor Swift, all while being recorded by his wife, Melania. Trump definitely misses zipping around, considering the former businessman somewhat begrudgingly told Reuters in 2017, "I like to drive. I can't drive anymore."

Still, there's a different, much more powerful engine that Trump must also crave: the Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster. According to Auto Evolution, the collector's item is "the only Lamborghini built in 1997 to be adorned in LeMans Blue Paintwork." Sound boujee? Because it is. Per Bloomberg, the model was made in very limited numbers: "The final production run included 30 cars for the 2000 model year, with the final model available in just two colors: titanium metallic and yellow. Only 10 of those made it to the U.S." Considering the then-presidential candidate had bigger fish to fry leading up to his 2016 win, Trump sold his Diablo for $460,000 on eBay that same year. 

Just like that, Trump's unable to let his iconic hair blow freely in the wind anymore.

If the price is right, Donald Trump buys, no matter what it is. According to The Washington Post, the former real estate mogul purchased a winery in Charlottesville, Va. back in 2011. "I'm really interested in good real estate, not so much in wine," he oddly revealed. "This place had a $28 million mortgage on it, and I bought it for $6.2 million. It's a Trump deal!" 

Perhaps it's because he lacks an affinity for wine that he passed the winery on to his son, Eric. According to Business Insider, the winery is a popular tourist destination, plays host to many weddings, and boasts "1,300 acres (200 acres of vines)" — so, there's definitely a lot to see in the sprawling area. But while the average Joe seems to enjoy the quality of the grapes, some wine aficionados are too busy scoffing. When Vanity Fair sampled the Trump Winery label at the main restaurant of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., they brought along with them an oenophile, too. The verdict? They dubbed it "Welch's grape jelly with alcohol." Ouch. 

Why own one apartment when you could own two? In what seemed like a bizarre purchase, Donald Trump Jr. owns two condos in Manhattan — right next door to one another. Even weirder? For a family that's based their business off of their own brand of real estate, he lives in a non-Trump building. Per a listing on City Realty, the building is called The Sovereign, and the businessman became the lucky owner of apartment 12B in 2014. The price tag? $1.5 million. As for the other unit, according to Town & Country, the adjacent 12C cost him $1.125 million. To be fair, the mag speculates that Trump may have combined the two apartments into one monster-sized one, because why else would you make a purchase like that? 

You'd think he'd spend most of his time in his own apartments after dishing out so much money on them, but as it turns out, Trump's been hopping around town to a different Manhattan flat. According to the Daily Mail, Trump's girlfriend and former Fox News host, Kimberly Guilfoyle, revamped her $3.4 million pad in 2018 so it could house both herself and her beau, even giving him his own walk-in closet. 

According to Bloomberg, a reporter once spoke to Donald Trump's proud father, Fred, who mused, "Everything [Donald] touches seems to turn to gold." While we're not exactly sure if the president has an actual Midas touch, he sure does love buying gold any chance he gets. 

One of the most visually opulent things Donald and wife Melania own is their $100 million New York penthouse. As reported by Travel & Leisure, the married pair's Fifth Avenue apartment is entirely decorated in "24-karat gold and marble features in the style of Louis XIV." However, the sentence itself is an understatement, as the interior of this three-story penthouse looks like it was transported directly from 17th-century France. From its chandeliers and ornate artwork to its plush furnishings and gold trimmings on basically everything, the flat is practically dripping in money. 

"This is a very complex unit," Donald told biographer Michael D'Antonio in a 2014 interview (via Travel & Leisure). He added, "If you look at the columns and the carvings ... this unit was harder than building the building itself." As his presidency has seen Trump spending most of his time in the White House, we wonder what is to become of this golden court fit for a king.