Trump: The Art of the Deal

The Art of the Deal represents a specific era of economic success in the New York City of the 1980s. This was a decade defined by unprecedented economic expansion, aggressive capitalism, and an insatiable appetite for wealth and status. Fueled by deregulation, corporate takeovers, and an explosion of speculative investments, Wall Street became the epicenter of a culture obsessed with making money. Stockbrokers, investment bankers, and corporate raiders embodied this new ethos of greed and ambition, living lavish lifestyles fueled by enormous financial gains. At the same time, figures like Donald Trump understood the value of celebrity, using media appearances, tabloid coverage, and self-promotion to elevate themselves from businesspeople to cultural icons. Success was about both visibility and wealth. 

By the early 1980s, Wall Street had entered a period of explosive growth, largely due to financial deregulation and advances in trading technology. The Reagan administration, committed to free-market economics, cut taxes for the wealthy and loosened restrictions on banking and investment practices. This deregulation made it easier for corporations to merge, acquire competitors, and raise vast amounts of money through leveraged buyouts (LBOs) and junk bonds. As a result, investment banks like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Salomon Brothers thrived, generating enormous profits and paying out multimillion-dollar bonuses to their top traders and executives.