Donald Trump has been a public figure for more than four decades — first as a New York property developer and author, then as a television host, and later in public office. This collection of Donald Trump quotes gathers documented lines from those different chapters: his 1987 book “The Art of the Deal,” later business books, interviews, tweets, and formal speeches.
The quotes are presented in his own words, grouped by theme, with the source or setting noted for each one. You will find business advice, statements on persistence, lines from major speeches, and a section of lighter one-liners. Readers who enjoy saving notable lines may also like these short quotes from many different voices. Background on his career is available on his Wikipedia page.
Donald Trump Quotes on Business and Deals
His business reputation was built through books before it was built through television. These lines come mainly from “The Art of the Deal” and his later business titles.
- “I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.” — Donald Trump — The opening principle of “The Art of the Deal.”
- “Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game.” — Donald Trump — His stated view of money, from the same book.
- “I play to people’s fantasies. People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do.” — Donald Trump — His explanation of promotion, in his own words.
- “Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper.” — Donald Trump — A lesson he says came from early deals.
- “The point is that you can’t be too greedy.” — Donald Trump — A short caution from his first book.
- “Part of being a winner is knowing when enough is enough.” — Donald Trump — On limits, from his writings on deal-making.
- “If you’re interested in balancing work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead, make your work more pleasurable.” — Donald Trump — His alternative to the work-life balance idea.
- “A little more moderation would be good. Of course, my life hasn’t exactly been one of moderation.” — Donald Trump — A self-aware note from “The Art of the Deal.”
- “What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate.” — Donald Trump — From his book “Think Like a Champion.”
Donald Trump Quotes on Persistence and Winning
Persistence is the theme he returns to most often in commencement-style advice and campaign-era speeches. These are the documented versions.
- “Never, ever give up.” — Donald Trump — Advice he gave in his 2017 Liberty University commencement address.
- “Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.” — Donald Trump — A line from “The Art of the Deal.”
- “I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present.” — Donald Trump — His stated approach, from his business writing.
- “In the end, you’re measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish.” — Donald Trump — A results-focused line from his books.
- “Anyone who thinks my story is anywhere near over is sadly mistaken.” — Donald Trump — Said on returning to private business in the 1990s.
- “We must think big and dream even bigger.” — Donald Trump — From his inaugural address in January 2017.
- “No dream is too big. No challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach.” — Donald Trump — From his election-night victory speech in 2016.
- “Get going. Move forward. Aim high. Plan a takeoff. Don’t just sit on the runway and hope someone will come along and push the airplane.” — Donald Trump — A longer passage from “Think Like a Champion.”
Donald Trump Quotes from Speeches and Public Life
Formal addresses produced some of his most quoted public lines. Each entry below notes where the words were delivered.
- “We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And we will make America great again.” — Donald Trump — The closing lines of his 2017 inaugural address.
- “The future does not belong to globalists. The future belongs to patriots.” — Donald Trump — From his address to the UN General Assembly in 2019.
- “I will fight for you with every breath in my body — and I will never, ever let you down.” — Donald Trump — A pledge repeated in his 2016 campaign speeches.
- “As long as we have God and as long as we have confidence in ourselves, we will remain the land of our dreams.” — Donald Trump — Adapted from lines delivered at public ceremonies; wording varies by event.
- “America is a nation of believers, dreamers, and strivers that is fuelled by the same Bedrock, by faith.” — Donald Trump — From a National Prayer Breakfast address.
- “We are one nation, and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams, and their success will be our success.” — Donald Trump — From his 2018 State of the Union address.
- “In America, we don’t worship government. We worship God.” — Donald Trump — From his 2017 commencement speech at Liberty University.
- “The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.” — Donald Trump — A central line of his 2017 inaugural address.
Funny Trump Quotes
Alongside the formal lines, Trump has produced lighter one-liners in tweets, interviews, and asides over the years. These are documented examples, presented with their settings.
- “I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke.” — Donald Trump — An observation he posted on Twitter in 2012.
- “As everybody knows, but the haters and losers refuse to acknowledge, I do not wear a wig. My hair may not be perfect, but it’s mine.” — Donald Trump — A 2013 tweet about his much-discussed hair.
- “Sorry losers and haters, but my IQ is one of the highest — and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure, it’s not your fault.” — Donald Trump — A boastful 2013 tweet, often quoted for its tone.
- “I think I am actually humble. I think I’m much more humble than you would understand.” — Donald Trump — Said in a 2016 “60 Minutes” interview, to laughter in the room.
- “Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart.” — Donald Trump — From a January 2018 tweet about his own abilities.
- “My Twitter has become so powerful that I can actually make my enemies tell the truth.” — Donald Trump — A 2012 tweet about his following on the platform.
- “The worst thing a man can do is go bald. Never let yourself go bald.” — Donald Trump — Grooming advice from his business books, delivered seriously.
- “I’m really rich.” — Donald Trump — A short, much-replayed line from his June 2015 campaign announcement speech.
- “I feel like a supermodel, except like, times ten.” — Donald Trump — A joking comparison from a 2015 magazine interview.
Short Donald Trump Quotes
These brief lines are the ones most often used as captions or status posts. For more options across many authors, see these best WhatsApp status quotes.
- “Think big and kick ass.” — Donald Trump — The blunt motto behind his book “Think Big.”
- “I don’t like losers.” — Donald Trump — A short line he has used in interviews since the 2010s.
- “Sometimes you need conflict in order to come up with a solution.” — Donald Trump — On disagreement, from his business writing.
- “Watch, listen, and learn. You can’t know it all yourself.” — Donald Trump — Advice on paying attention, from “Think Like a Champion.”
- “It’s always good to be underestimated.” — Donald Trump — A line he has repeated in several interviews.
- “Everything in life is luck.” — Donald Trump — The title idea of his 1990 book of the same theme.
- “Success comes from failure, not from memorizing the right answers.” — Donald Trump — A contrast he draws in his education-related writing.
- “If you love what you do, it isn’t your job, it is your love affair.” — Donald Trump — On work, from his later motivational books.
How to Use These Quotes
Quote collections like this one are most often used for captions, classroom discussions, presentations, and debates about public language. When you use a line, keep the source with it — a book title, a speech, or a date makes the quote checkable and keeps the context intact.
For social posts, the short section works best; pair a line with a photo and a clear caption, and browse these Instagram captions for format ideas. In essays or articles, the speech section is the most useful, because each line can be traced to a recorded public address. In conversation, the business lines from “The Art of the Deal” are the ones readers most often discuss, since the book has been in print since 1987.
Reading These Quotes in Context
A quote is a fragment, and Trump’s public record is unusually long, so context matters more here than with most figures. A line from a 1987 business book, a line from a tweet, and a line from an inaugural address were written for three different audiences and three different purposes.
A fair way to read this page is chronologically: the developer and author first, the television figure second, and the officeholder third. Noticing how the themes repeat — scale, persistence, winning — and how the settings change is more informative than any single line on its own. Life quotes collections from many other voices offer a useful contrast in tone and theme.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Donald Trump’s most famous quote?
“We will make America great again,” in its full inaugural form, is his most widely reproduced line. From his books, “I like thinking big” from “The Art of the Deal” is quoted most often.
Which book do most Donald Trump quotes come from?
“The Art of the Deal,” published in 1987 and co-written with Tony Schwartz, is the source of the largest share. “Think Like a Champion” and “Think Big” supply many of the shorter motivational lines.
Are the funny Trump quotes real?
Yes. The entries in that section come from documented tweets, a “60 Minutes” interview, his 2015 announcement speech, and his books, and each entry notes its setting.
Can I use these quotes in an essay or presentation?
Yes, and citing the original source — book, speech, or interview — alongside the quote will strengthen your work. Recorded speeches and published books are the easiest sources for a reader to verify.
Where can I verify a Donald Trump quote?
Inaugural and State of the Union transcripts are published officially, his books are widely available, and archived tweets and interview transcripts can be checked against the dates noted in this collection.
Conclusion
From a 1987 bestseller to inaugural addresses and social media posts, Donald Trump’s documented lines cover business, persistence, public life, and humour in his own distinctive phrasing. Use the sources noted here to place each quote in its proper setting, and choose the lines that serve your caption, essay, or discussion best.
