Donald Trump Could Have Been Worth $13 Billion If He'd Done Nothing, Financial Experts Say

President Donald Trump's attempt to build a career may have come with a hefty financial cost.

According to a financial analysis, Trump could have been worth as much as $13 billion if he had simply invested his money and enjoyed his wealth rather than pursue various business endeavors.

A video by How Money Works, first published in 2024 and now recirculating on social media, delved into the psychology of billionaires, asking why so many of them choose to work well into their old age when the average billionaire makes their first billion before they hit 65.

The channel used Trump as an example of a wealthy person who could have sat on and enjoyed their money but chose a "different path."

They cited a 2015 Associated Press article that noted Trump could have been worth $13 billion that year (roughly $18 billion today adjusted for inflation) if he'd simply put the $400 million inheritance he received from his father in 1988 in the stock market and forgotten about it.

Rather than enjoy his money, Trump went into numerous businesses, attaching his name to products like "Trump Steaks," "Trump Whiskey," and Trump golf courses.

Some endeavors infamously flamed out but Trump continued to try and build an empire with his name, though he still wound up with far less than he could have had By the time "How Money Works" video came out, Trump was worth around $3 billion. That number has since gone up during his presidency thanks in part to Truth Social. Trump is now worth around $7 billion, per Forbes.

Critics might say Trump is making up for lost wealth. He is often accused of using the office of the presidency to enrich himself with various cash grabs, such as Trump cryptocurrency, Trump bibles, Trump coins, etc.

Furthermore, Trump is accused of trading money for political favors. The American Bar Association has argued that transactions such as "donor‑driven federal appointments to dropped investigations, lucrative business deals, and foreign gifts — have enriched Trump and his allies while undermining long‑standing ethical norms and public trust in democratic institutions."

"Strong structural reforms, including mandatory divestment, stricter transparency rules, and campaign finance overhaul, are essential to prevent similar corruption from threatening democracy in the future," they argued in a March article.

The "How Money Works" analysis suggests billionaires like Trump refuse to retire because of business ties, addiction to working, and plain old greed.

"Anyone who is happy with a reasonable amount of wealth would have cashed out before they became a billionaire," they said.

Comparing Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to hold onto Meta with MySpace cofounder Tom Anderson’s $580 million sale, they argued that Zuckerberg may have been unwilling to give up the influence and lifestyle that come with being one of the world’s most powerful tech figures.