Fact Check: How many times has trump been bankrupt

Published June 11, 2025

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VERDICT

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# Fact Check: How Many Times Has Trump Been Bankrupt? ## What We Know Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States, has been associ...

Fact Check: How Many Times Has Trump Been Bankrupt?

What We Know

Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States, has been associated with multiple business bankruptcies throughout his career. According to various sources, Trump's companies have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection six times. The first bankruptcy occurred in 1991 when the Trump Taj Mahal casino defaulted on interest payments and subsequently filed for bankruptcy. This was followed by the bankruptcy filings of Trump Plaza Hotel and Trump Hotels and Casinos Resorts in 1992 and 2004, respectively. The last two bankruptcies were for Trump Entertainment Resorts in 2009, which was significantly impacted by the 2008 recession (Washington Post [source-1], ThoughtCo [source-5]).

Trump himself has stated that he counts the first three bankruptcies as one, which may contribute to the confusion surrounding the total number of filings (Washington Post [source-1]). However, most analyses and reports confirm that the total is indeed six.

Analysis

The claim that Trump has declared bankruptcy four or six times has been a topic of debate, primarily due to Trump's own statements and the way he categorizes his bankruptcies. A comprehensive review of Trump's business history indicates that he has been involved in six distinct bankruptcy filings, all under Chapter 11, which allows companies to restructure their debts while continuing operations (NPR [source-4], Wikipedia [source-3]).

The reliability of sources discussing Trump's bankruptcies varies. The Washington Post and NPR are reputable news organizations with a history of fact-checking and investigative journalism, making their accounts credible (Washington Post [source-1], NPR [source-4]). In contrast, less formal sources like blogs or opinion pieces may lack the same level of scrutiny and should be approached with caution.

Overall, the consensus among financial experts and reputable news sources is that Trump's businesses have indeed filed for bankruptcy six times, despite his personal framing of the situation.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that Donald Trump has declared bankruptcy six times is accurate. Multiple reputable sources confirm that his businesses have undergone six Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings, which he sometimes refers to differently. The distinction he makes regarding the counting of these bankruptcies does not change the fact that six separate filings occurred.

Sources

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