20/20: MEET THE TRUMPS (TV)
Summary
One in this series of news magazine programs. In this program, Barbara Walters profiles real estate mogul, reality TV star and inexplicable Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Trump, who boasts that he gave up two additional seasons of his television series "The Apprentice" to run for office, has enjoyed a long "flirtation" with politics, as seen in his first interview with Walters in 1987. In his sit-down interview with Walters, topics discussed include: the "firestorm" of controversy surround his public comments about women and minorities, including his outlandish claim that he will construct a border wall entirely funded by Mexico; his "clownish" public persona and assertions that he is now "respected" by former dissenters; his intentions to be a "unifer" for the American people; his obsession with winning and sense that America "loses a lot"; his views on terrorism and ISIS, including his plans to "bomb them wherever they are"; President Obama's "insane" plan for accepting Syrian refugees into the country; and his Versailles-inspired penthouse in midtown Manhattan.
Third wife Melania Trump joins the interview, and the conversation continues onto such topics as: her decision to absent herself from most campaign events in order to focus on raising her son Barron; why she initially rebuffed Trump upon meeting him at a party in 1998, as he was there with another woman; her birth in Slovenia and decision to leave architectural school to pursue a modeling career; Trump's two scandalous divorces from Ivana Zelnícková and Marla Maples, for which he blames his busy work schedule, rather than his infamous philandering; whether theirs is "a marriage of equals"; her past involvement in racy photoshoots; her intention to focus on charities involving children and "many different diseases" should she become First Lady; her oft-ignored advice to Trump to "tone it down" during debates and campaign appearances; and her views on his many misogynistic comments, including how he "treats everybody the same."
Walters discusses Trump's private plane, known as "Trump Force One," and his helicopter, noting that he bankrolls his campaign with his own vast wealth, which he inherited from his real estate tycoon/white supremacist father Fred Trump. Trump rose to fame through his renovation and construction of many New York buildings, most of which now bear his name. He states that he connects with the working class despite his "one-percenter" status, and political journalist Matthew Dowd suggests that people are drawn to his "authentic," bullying persona.
Walters then sits down with Trump's four adult children, Donald Jr., Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany, and the discussion touches upon: who is most like their father; their experiences with nepotism and their roles in the family business; denials of their father's well-documented absence from their lives during childhood; their strong work ethics and sense of "the Trump guilt," stemming from his taskmaster attitude; why businesswoman Ivanka, whom he has repeatedly described as sexually attractive, is likely their father's favorite; their lack of concern about his controversial statements and disdain for "P.C. culture"; and their concern about his irresponsible eating habits.
In the final interview segment, Trump comments on his adolescent interest in baseball and in producing films before turning to real estate; his defense of his famous comb-over hairstyle; why he will not reveal his personal fears; his sense of his own refusal to quit as his greatest "weakness"; why he only "fibs" when complimenting people's appearances; and his "respectful" relationship with his seven grandchildren and youngest son Barron. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 30, 1999 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:56
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 125510
- GENRE: News
- SUBJECT HEADING: News; Education/Information; Politics; Fascists
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1978-
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AARP organization
- TV - Commercials - CoverGirl cosmetics
- TV - Commercials - DSW shoe stores
- TV - Commercials - Farmers Insurance
- TV - Commercials - Febreze air freshener
- TV - Commercials - Ghirardelli chocolates
- TV - Commercials - Kohl's stores
- TV - Commercials - Lenovo PC computers
- TV - Commercials - Lindt Lindor chocolates
- TV - Commercials - Lyrica diabetic nerve pain medication
- TV - Commercials - Macy's stores
- TV - Commercials - McCormick spices
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Nissan automobiles
- TV - Commercials - NutriBullet food mixer
- TV - Commercials - Prego tomato sauce
- TV - Commercials - Prevnar 13 pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine
- TV - Commercials - PseudoBulbar Affect information
- TV - Commercials - Quicken Loans financial services
- TV - Commercials - Robitussin cough medicine
- TV - Commercials - Roc Retinol anti-wrinkle cream
- TV - Commercials - Splenda artificial sweetener
- TV - Commercials - Sprint wireless networks
- TV - Commercials - The University of Phoenix
- TV - Commercials - Tylenol Cold & Flu medication
- TV - Commercials - Vicks NyQuil cold medication
- TV - Commercials - Wal-Mart stores
- TV - Promos - "ABC World News Tonight"
- TV - Promos - "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
- TV - Promos - "Agent Carter"
- TV - Promos - "American Crime"
- TV - Promos - "Dancing With the Stars"
- TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
- TV - Promos - "It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown"
- TV - Promos - "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
- TV - Promos - "The Bachelor"
- TV - Promos - "The Great Holiday Baking Show"
- TV - Promos - American Music Awards
CREDITS
- Muriel Pearson … Coordinating Producer, Writer
- Matt Lombardi … Senior Producer, Writer
- David Sloan … Senior Executive Producer
- Andrea Amiel … Senior Editorial Producer
- Chris Donovan … Senior Editorial Producer
- John Santucci … Producer
- Jennifer Joseph … Producer, Writer
- Francesca Ferreira … Associate Producer
- Lydia Noone … Associate Producer
- Emily Whipp … Associate Producer
- Lauren Putrino … Field Producer
- Rob Vint … Director
- Kim Powers … Writer
- Barbara Walters … Anchor
- Donald Trump … Interviewee
- Melania Trump … Interviewee
- Matthew Dowd … Interviewee
- Ivanka Trump … Interviewee
- Donald Trump Jr. … Interviewee
- Eric Trump … Interviewee
- Tiffany Trump … Interviewee
- Marla Maples
- Barack Obama
- Barron Trump
- Ivana Zelnícková (see also: Ivana Trump)