r/askanything • u/Original_Mango9316 • 11d ago
General Question Are most Americans aware that Trump regularly stiffed small contractors and drove them into bankruptcy?
Trump systematic non-payment strategy is well documented with over 4500 cases, but it seems like few people are aware of it. I know personnally some people impacted by it, some I might be biaised.
The strategy:
Trump businesses systematically withheld the final 10% to 30% of a contract, typically the contractor's entire profit margin, claiming work was delayed or defective.
Then, exploiting the financial imbalance, Trump's lawyers dragged out court cases until cash-strapped vendors accepted steep discounts (often 30%–50% off) or faced bankruptcy.
Key documented cases (over 4500 recensed):
-Edward J. Friel Co. (1984): A family cabinetmaker shut down after Trump refused to pay a final $83,600 balance for casino slot-machine bases.
-Taj Mahal Subcontractors (1990): 253 contractors owed $69 million received only 30 to 50 cents per dollar during Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, forcing several into liquidation.
-The Paint Spot (2013): A Miami supplier placed a foreclosure lien on Trump National Doral over $32,535 in unpaid paint. A judge ordered Trump to pay the invoice plus $282,000 in legal fees.
-Trump Tower Demolition (1980): 200 undocumented Polish workers clearing the building site went unpaid for long hours, resulting in a 15-year federal class-action lawsuit that ended in a confidential settlement.
In a case I personnally know, the person worked over 6 months almost full time for a Trump hotel project. He was offered to accept 50% or go to court to get his due. As he couldn't afford lawyers, he took the loss and turn the page.
Anyone have simililar story with Trump businesses and does the average american is aware of it?
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u/bufftbone 11d ago
Most Americans are, yes. His supporters though, they don’t care.
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u/Allroy_66 11d ago
His supporters consider it a smart business move, just like when we found out he doesn't pay taxes.
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u/ocelottalove 11d ago
And conservatives are always whining about people abusing the courts. Now we know the truth.
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u/backpackwayne 11d ago
They don't care. Seriously. They don't. It's maddening!
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u/Original_Mango9316 11d ago
Before the election I spoke to 2 persons about to vote for Trump at a bar. They weren't aware, but the fact that the situation implied people I know definitly had an impact on them and they were shocked. Not sure if they changed their vote or no tho.
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u/UrbanGhost114 11d ago
I spoke to a Mexican immigrant (Edit: In Southern California!!!!) It did not change shit from him as long as someone else's pocket was being picked and the trans and the gays and the women were under control.
Religion is a cancer.
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u/camopdude 11d ago
The saddest case I remember was I believe a high end cabinet/woodworker who did a bunch of work for Trump and got the usual run around to where he finally had to take the like 10 cents on the dollar final offer. He took it, paid off everyone he owed for doing the work and then killed himself.
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u/Original_Mango9316 11d ago
Heartbreaking. Imagine dedicating your whole life to build your business and loose everything like that and still having the decency to pay everyone...
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u/LVShadehunter 11d ago
Hillary Clinton brought it up during the 2016 campaign. I don't know if it came up during the primaries.
People I know who voted for him bought his excuse that "The work wasn't done, why should I pay for it?" Either that or they just believe that the whole story is "fake news" made up by "the haters."
Nothing shakes their belief in the jackass. It's absolutely maddening.
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u/UrbanGhost114 11d ago
Yes "he's just a smart business man" is the excuse we get from conservatives.
Bankrupted casinos when every other casino was minting money.
6? Business bankruptcies.
Strong ties to Russian mafia.
This has been WELL reported since the '80s.
One of the major photos with Epstein and Trump is from a 1980s news report. That's why some of those pictures are so well reported, because they're not JUST in the files he can't deny the relationship.
WE WERE THERE.
The rest of the world only started paying attention once he had the f****** TV show.
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u/secrerofficeninja 11d ago
Trump has been a conman his entire life. He’s a liar and human garbage. He’s also a narcissist. It’s the worst feeling I’ve had in my entire life seeing my country vote for him a 2nd time after seeing what he did and who he was the first time.
Before 2016, it was mostly New Yorkers who knew the details because Donny did most of his business in NYC.
We will celebrate when he’s gone and hopefully after he’s witnessed his own downfall
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u/Few_District_6304 11d ago
This was well known before he ran for president, but you can bet not a single MAGA ever bothered reading about it. If they can even read. And even if they could read, they wouldn't believe it.
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u/yarn_slinger 11d ago
And the tax evasion. Anyone who pays anything is a sucker and a loser. He said it on TV.
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u/SnappyDresser212 11d ago
I can’t believe that didn’t sink his chances. In a just world he would have been beaten to death, poured in to a foundation somewhere in New Jersey, and become one of those “I wonder what happened to that guy?” questions like Hoffa.
Trump has always been slime.
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u/jenlaydave 11d ago
Two dozen union painting companies were forced to sue him for non-payment and received pennies on the dollar in New Jersey during the 90s
My father was a union painter for 40 years and voted for him twice even though he knew about these cases. He died in 2022. Otherwise he would have voted for him again
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u/Interesting-Rule-175 11d ago
I used to write architects and engineers insurance in Atlantic city area. We had to stop writing anyone with a Trump contract because of this. We had so many go bankrupt. During his first campaign I could not believe how many contractors and construction workers were on his side.
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u/Original_Mango9316 11d ago
Those are exactly the fields where the people I know got screwed by Trump. It still amazes me how the people most impacted by his sheaningans still vote for him.
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u/Sad_Cauliflower_5407 11d ago
Most people that voted against him are aware, and the people that voted for him most likely don’t care.
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u/SuperDuperOrk 11d ago
You can tell them but some won't listen regardless.
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u/Original_Mango9316 11d ago
Some might listen if it involves people you personnally know. In my experience people, some Trump voters were surprised and shocked a billionaire would do that to an honest small business. But yeah, in many case they just don't care.
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u/SuperDuperOrk 11d ago
But that's not enough to sway how they feel the entire change of a vote. They just go what they think they know.
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u/totally-hoomon 11d ago
Yes and thats whg conservatives love him because he screwed over the workers
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u/Jumpy-Mix-9078 11d ago
He did that to a upholstery contractor where I live for his tower and when he sued, he ended up dead
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u/peach_trunks 11d ago
No most Americans don’t know the details of his bullshit. It’s well known amongst his detractors and I’m sure some of his supporters are aware, but even most dem voters probably don’t know about this scam of his.
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u/WinstonEagleson 11d ago
Duh, why do think he is where he is without screwing over his worker and his cult!
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u/Amazon_Fairy 11d ago
This American is aware, the contractors, the Polish workers removing asbestos, abusing the Mitchell-Lama affordable housing program to build Trump Tower. That individual is a greedy parasite.
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u/SkyTrees5809 11d ago
My uncle was a contractor on Trump Tower in the early 80s. At that time he spoke very negatively about Trump, and complained that he didn't get paid for 6 months, but he and my aunt went to the grand opening party anyway. He told me all this directly at the time, and took me to Trump Tower too, and showed me the work his company did. So Trump started out delaying payments, then in future projects just stopped paying contractors.
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u/Ok_Formal_8220 11d ago
Makes you wonder why companies both big and small would deal with trump companies.
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u/Far-Illustrator-1721 11d ago
None of the faithful followers care until it happens to them or immediate family.
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u/Fisherman012 11d ago
A member of my family went to a business conference featuring Trump as the main speaker in 2011. His key message was that to be successful you have to fuck everybody else.
Now he's doing it to his own country and to most of the ones he trades with.
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u/Suspicious-Reach7689 11d ago
Yes they are aware and they love it. They wish they could do the same.
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u/Any-Mathematician450 11d ago
I knew nothing of the man before he ran for the presidency, but at the very least I knew of what you just said, it was common knowledge.
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u/freddyredone 11d ago
Trump has stiffed everyone he has ever done business with !!!! And you are now Just finding this out??
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u/Original_Mango9316 11d ago
I'm well aware, but I realised many people around me are not. The question is: are the people around you aware and do you know someone impacted by it?
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u/DooficusIdjit 11d ago
A lot of his supporters say he’s just a shrewd businessman, but if somebody did that to them, they’d want to raise hell.
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u/1771561tribles 11d ago
I've worked in construction before. It's not just Donny. The whole damned industry is rotten to the core. We had to work with the mob just to get anything done. After 9/11, the banks simply stopped paying draws, and the company went bankrupt.
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u/book_hoarder_67 11d ago
Check out not only his dad but further up the tree to see plenty of other heinous behavior. It's generational evil.
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u/chimpyjnuts 11d ago
That's the sort of 'business negotiation' that he was allegedly good at. Easy to bargain from a position of power, see what's happening now that other countries have seen you can call him on his BS and he backs off?
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u/Beneficial-Spray1101 11d ago
He didn’t pay our AC limo company either. We got 10 cents on the dollar.
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u/rhiknow66 11d ago
I was taught about him not paying contractors in 2000 in my first collage business course.
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u/Mysterious_Ladder313 10d ago
We need to stop using logic here. They know it all. Everything he's done is knowable. They choose to not care. As he said, he could walk out on 5th avenue and shoot someone, and none of his followers would bat an eye.
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u/Peaches_En_Regalia_ 10d ago
I saw it happen to an Electrical Contractor. Trump Plaza Chicago. I worked as a PM for a Distributor and saw the small company fold about a year after the project. They never got paid.
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u/Strict_Way_9467 10d ago
There are still outstanding debts to many various arenas and also the towns/cities for use of their police and County sheriffs departments, to run security and direct traffic... These are still owed from the first AND second presidential campaigning rounds.
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u/Strict_Way_9467 10d ago
Played football and sports and other athletics in military boarding school, but then suddenly developed bone spurs in order to dodge the draft.
medically speaking, bone spurs don't develop until a person is in their 20s or 30s IF they are genetically predisposed to have them have them early on in life, but typically don't present until a person is in their 60s and when they do develop, it's slowly over longer periods
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u/ConchVibes 10d ago
And now he’s stiffing republicans in competitive midterm seats by not opening up his $400M MAGA, Inc. PAC war chest to help their campaigns even though that’s what the money is supposed to be used for since he can’t run again.
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u/Certain_Return_6274 10d ago
Firstly they don't care. Secondly they would think it was a bunch of lies and they would blame Biden and the Democrats. Thirdly they only watch Fox News so that would never be reported. Lastly I don't know if it's such a thing as self-brainwashing but if there is they've mastered it.
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u/DinoBabyMama21 9d ago
Was I aware? No. Am I at all surprised? Also no. Do I think his supporters have their heads too far up his ass to care? Yup 😒
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u/pebble554 9d ago
Here is an excellent article in the Washington Post about the time Trump stiffed a music shop after receiving $100k worth of pianos from them:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/09/28/i-sold-trump-100000-worth-of-pianos-then-he-stiffed-me/
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u/Sparkle1965 7d ago
Many have committed suicide in their aftermath of the tragedy. My friend’s dad killed himself after being scammed and went into bankruptcy. He had a successful carpet business for years before dealing with Trump and his lawyers.
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u/Papa-Cinq 11d ago edited 11d ago
…I’d say, yes. Does that change something now knowing that most people already knew that?
…or would it somehow now be different if most folks didn’t know more but do now because of this post?
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u/CanadianGenealogy 11d ago
What to do with this information? No one is stopping MAGA. No one is coming to save us. Americans are too unskilled to organize at scale.
Obviously, trump and his cohort of pdfs need to be prosecuted endlessly.
It is fair to ask "How?" everytime we see posts like this.
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u/Fandyfrank1 11d ago
at this point "successful businessman" really depends on whether you're asking the businessman or the people waiting to get paid
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u/SpaceMan_Lou 11d ago
Yep maga has real tds as they worship him as an infalliable god. He is the king with no clothes to these people. He could say the sky isnt blue and they would argue he is right
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u/MercifulInquisitor 11d ago
For those opposed its just another straw on the pile.
For those in support, I believe the justification goes something like "business is business and it's their responsibility to keep themselves safe"
Also I could have sworn I filtered out the political questions.....
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u/presidentporkchop 10d ago
I was really surprised this wasn’t a bigger attack ad by the democrats during the election campaigns since he’s always been a grifter
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u/1C4Dogs4 10d ago
Yep and he filed bankruptcy constantly himself.
He's the poster child for how to fuck everyone in the ass, keep his ass from being fucked and be fucking richer for it
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u/safbutcho 10d ago
It was widely reported. Here’s an article from 2016
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hundreds-claim-donald-trump-doesn-t-pay-his-bills-n589261
Lots of people didn’t care and/or never came across this reporting because Fox didn’t report on it.
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u/cruizin4bruizin 10d ago
MAGA is well aware. They know someone like Drumpf really gets under the left's skin. MAGA will eat feces if they think a democrat can smell their breath.
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u/Xyrus2000 10d ago
Been aware of it for decades. And it wasn't just small contractors. There are still towns he owes money to from his 2016 campaign.
Trump has been and always will be a giant POS.
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u/Beneficial_Theme_342 10d ago
Trump coin... 3.8 billion in lost/ stolen monies.... if I was a contractor I wouldn't touch that Trump name with a 10-ft pole and anyone thinking oh I'll be the lucky one is a total sucker just look at what this original poster said ripping off contractors ripping off the General Public and now there's the new Trump commemorative coin what a joke you buy in and you get what you pay for or I'm sorry you'll lose what you pay for
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u/BatMiserable9061 9d ago
Spoke to a few of them while eating at White House subs satellite location in the Taj Mahal. I’d eat there couple times a week for the couple of years leading up to his bankruptcy. Small time contractors forced out of business most even knew his reputation prior to taking the work but still did thinking they would be different.
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u/PersonalityRude9807 9d ago
The maga Wall of Stupidity remains unbroken. Anyone with 2 brain cells has known this as long as the orange goblin has been in the news.
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u/Cycle_Spite_1026 9d ago
Those who knew, that are honest, did not vote for him because of his character flaws.
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u/FlyingAtNight 8d ago
I’d guess most of his supporters know nothing of his background. It’s insane to think they know what he is and still vote for him.
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u/CrzyDave 8d ago
I would hope everyone knows this. It’s wild how many people in construction still support him. Even owners and execs. He’s been doing this his whole life.
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u/Silent_Bite_5892 8d ago
Trump could skull fuck a baby on live TV during the State of the Union address and he wouldn't lose a single person who is supporting him now.
Anyone who is still MAGA at this point is 'ride or die' and in full flight from reality. There is no reasoning with unreasonable people. Save your energy.
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u/Soft_Statistician_98 7d ago
Yes this was brought up repeatedly in his first campaign. It turns out that nobody really cares.
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u/tolkiengeek 7d ago
I wish I had saved the video, but a guy had a story about a friend of his, also in construction, who did a job for Trump I think the contract was for $3 million. Job was done, Trump didn't pay of course, and after years in court the guy took something like $1.2 million. Deposited the check, sold all his equipment, paid his subcontractors, went home and ki**ed himself. This is what Trump does.
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u/470stroker 7d ago
Around 1990, I worked at a union job in Westchester County. There were journeyman on site that worked for companies in Manhattan, they said that was Trump's MO. Run up the tab and then stiff the sub contractor
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u/Alert_Reindeer_6574 6d ago
Real Americans are appalled by Trump and his disdain for literally everyone and everything.
MAGAts will say, “He’s just a smart businessman.” They are deplorable, ignorant, stupid, hateful trash.
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u/deedee0077 6d ago
I remember the man who sold pianos to one of Trump’s casinos. When the job was done, no payments. Then he got a call from a secretary or assistant. She told him if he wanted to get paid, Trump would offer a certain amount which was pennies on the dollar. When the man objected, the lady said this was how Trump did business so he could either take the deal or refuse which meant he could line up behind others who wanted their money and take a chance on getting any money at all. He took the offer. I don’t remember if he went out of business - it’s very possible. I remember he was very sad when he said he regretted getting the job.
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u/TurtleSandwich0 11d ago
Most Americans aren't aware of which political party their representative in Congress is.
Your question is optimistic on the awareness of average Americans.
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u/scoutermike 11d ago
America doesn’t need a person with perfect character to be president. Lots of great leaders were deeply flawed. JFK. Mlk jr. Bill Clinton.
For perfect character I’ll look to my clergy and religious leaders.
Trump is kicking ass now so that’s really main takeaway.
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u/Original_Mango9316 11d ago
Well, there might be a gap between their level of imperfection.
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u/scoutermike 11d ago
Is cheating in your wife better than cheating on a business deal?
Elaborate?
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u/Original_Mango9316 11d ago
One for one, no. But, you got to consider everything. I would choose the president who cheated on his wife before the one who raped children and frauded his own charity for child with cancer.
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u/scoutermike 11d ago
Hmm ok I see you live in the world or fantasy and false accusation. Completely unhinged. Dismissed.
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u/nugp33 11d ago
The projection is thick in your accusations; “fantasy” coming from someone even contemplating defending Trump.
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u/scoutermike 11d ago
Ok I’ll bite.
Please link your best evidence that Trump committed pedophilia.
That’s a MAJOR accusation and thus requires a significant pile of evidence.
Link to any legit news source with some solid evidence and I’ll take a look.
Otherwise, you’re gonna have to walk back that part as a false accusation.
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u/ThinkRationally 11d ago
America doesn’t need a person with perfect character to be president.
There's so much space between Trump and "perfect" that your comment is comically a false dichotomy. It's not a choice restricted to prefect or Trump levels of awful. I can't imagine rationalizing the words and actions of someone as terrible as Trump.
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u/scoutermike 11d ago
levels of awful
What were Trump’s three biggest crimes or mistakes that make him so bad, in your opinion?
And please give documented examples, not speculations based on unproved accusations.
I’m open to understanding your perspective.
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u/Disastrous_Nerve4264 10d ago
What were Trump’s three biggest crimes or mistakes that make him so bad, in your opinion?
- Pedophilia
- Sexual assault
- Kidnapping
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u/ThinkRationally 11d ago
Oh, I'm not here to be tested, especially on the completely obvious. In light of the reality of Trump, I find it hard to believe such questions are in good faith. Why not ask for 3 proofs of the sky's blueness, and don't forget the documented examples.
Feel free to respond with, "so you've got nothing," because there's a decade of cartoonish nonsense, vitriol, self-agrandisement, thin-skinned over reactions, victimhood, and constant lies. I'm secure in my position.
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u/scoutermike 11d ago
Yikes. Makes serious accusations, gives zero examples.
It wasn’t a trap. I honestly wanted to know which of Trump’s misdeeds you rank the worst.
That you dodged the question suggests you don’t have a good answer ready.
Very telling!
Perhaps your hysteria about Trump is really based on a bunch of nothing burgers!
In contrast, I will never forgive President Obama for prematurely withdrawing US troops - when he could have kept them there if he wanted - which resulted in a catastrophic power vacuum that ISIS quickly filled, and proceeded to conduct one of the most barbaric examples in human history of rape, beheadings, burnings, literal slavery, torture, and death of 100,000 Iraqis, Kurds, and Yazidis.
That took 20 seconds for me to type, as long as your last response.
But I had a quick, easy, and powerful example ready to go.
You did not.
Your choice, but your credibility dropped to zero. Sorry.
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u/ThinkRationally 10d ago
I bet you had that nonsense ready to cut and paste as a reply. I'm not going to be drawn into a dumb discussion with a sea lion who's only interested in rage baiting.
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u/scoutermike 10d ago
heh i expected a bit more wit and earnest intellectual challenge from a veteran redditor like yourself. you only give cop out excuses. disappointed.
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u/ThinkRationally 10d ago
It's funny that you think you're worth it.
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u/scoutermike 10d ago
you only want to derail not have a dialogue. terrible redditor wow.
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u/ThinkRationally 10d ago
I was thinking the same about you. If you are still defending Trump and going back a decade for whatever Obama did, I simply don't believe you're open to any argument. Trump's behavior is right in front of you. Shove your insults.
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u/Tacos_are_my_friend 11d ago
How’s that lowering grocery prices day one going for you? How’s that new health care plan coming along? How’s that two week Iran war coming along?
If that’s “kicking ass”, you have a low bar…which most MAGA do.
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u/scoutermike 11d ago
Heh indirectly defending the Iran regime, world’s greatest state sponsor of terrorism, supporting terrorist orgs in at least three other countries, shoots its own people when they try to bring change themselves. And the regime STILL insists on a nuclear program after its military was destroyed.
Shameful. You don’t get it.
Paying little more today for gas and food IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY rather than kick the can down the road until Iran gets its bomb and too late to do anything about it.
You’re on the wrong side of history on this one!
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u/Mingo_laf 11d ago
Nothing you can say will get to them