Page 14 - Donald Trump: 45th US President

discrimination, it gave its fi ndings to the US Justice Department’s Civil
Rights Division.
In October 1973 the Justice Department announced the fi ling of
a racial bias case: United States of America v. Fred C. Trump, Donald
Trump, and Trump Management, Inc. A Justice Department press re-
lease said the Trumps had violated the law “by refusing to rent and
negotiate rentals with blacks, requiring dif-

ferent rental terms and conditions because
“[Donald Trump] is of race, and misrepresenting that apart-
tall, lean and blond, ments were not available.”
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with dazzling white Trump fought the charges—both in the
teeth, and . . . rides media and in the courts. Th e day after the
around town in a case was fi led, Trump told the New York
chauffeured silver Ca- Times the charges “are absolutely ridiculous.
dillac with his initials, We never have discriminated, and we never
DJT, on the plates.” 14
would.” Trump’s lawyers also responded
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— Judy Klemestrud, New York to the charges by fi ling a countersuit against
Times reporter
the Justice Department that December. In
the countersuit Trump sought $100 mil-
lion in damages, contending that the Justice Department had made false
and misleading claims against Trump Management (a subsidiary of the
Trump Organization). Th e countersuit also accused the government of
trying to force the Trumps to rent apartments to people on welfare.
A month after it was fi led, Trump’s countersuit was dismissed by a
judge. Th e Justice Department continued to pursue its discrimination
case against the Trump Organization. In 1975 the Trumps decided to
settle with the Justice Department. Th ey admitted no wrongdoing but
signed a court order prohibiting them from discriminating against any
person in the sale or rental of property in the future.

Building an Image
In the years immediately following the settlement of the discrimination
case, Trump sought ways to improve his public image. Th e New York
Times gave him one opportunity to do this when, in 1976, it asked

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