In 1980, Donald Trump faced a media firestorm when he ordered the demolition of two valuable art deco sculptures that were delaying the construction of Trump Tower. Over the next few days, reporters tried to reach Trump for comment, but they instead heard from “John Baron,” an alter ego that Trump would sometimes use when he spoke with journalists.
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During the 1980s and 1990s, Trump would use such alter egos whenever he was under intense press scrutiny, including once in 1991 when a reporter from People magazine captured him going by the name “John Miller” on tape.
“Trump’s Alter Ego” was drawn from FRONTLINE’s reporting for The Choice 2016, filmmaker Michael Kirk and his team’s dual biography of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Since 1988, The Choice has brought viewers in-depth, interwoven biographies of the two major-party U.S. presidential candidates.
Watch an encore presentation on Tues., Nov. 7 at 10 p.m. EST/9 p.m. CST on PBS or stream the film anytime here: https://to.pbs.org/2bErFWG
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FRONTLINE is made possible by PBS and CPB. Major support is provided by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Park Foundation, the John and Helen Glessner Family Trust, the Wyncote Foundation and Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation.
