What We Know About Donald Trump's Relationship With His Siblings
Though he freely shares his personal opinions on social media and in his campaign appearances, there are still many things we don't know about Donald Trump. The real estate tycoon who leveraged his TV success and business acumen into a White House stint keeps quiet about many aspects of his personal life — including members of his family. During his presidency, Trump maintained the privacy not only of his youngest son, Barron, but also his siblings. Little is known about the other four Trump children since they have had less of a desire to be in the spotlight than their famous brother. Donald also rarely speaks of them, perhaps trying to keep the media from hounding his extended family.
Donald Trump is the middle child and second son of Fred Trump Sr. and Mary Anne McLeod Trump. The Trumps had five children, raising them in Jamaica Estates, a wealthy neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. All were well educated, and most went on to highly successful careers, though only Donald entered the political realm. Sadly, His parents and brothers have passed on, but his sisters survive; no doubt they are following their brother's re-election campaign closely. Take a look into the facts about the lesser-known Trumps.
Fred Jr. taught Donald a sobering lesson
Fred Trump Jr. was the oldest of the five family members, with the most tragic history. Named for the Trump patriarch (seen here), Fred worked first as a real estate agent before becoming a pilot for TWA, and then a commercial fisherman. But he developed an alcohol addiction at a young age, destroying his marriage, flying career, and ultimately, life. In 1981, at just 42 years of age, Fred succumbed to a heart attack.
In a 2017 speech addressing the national opioid crisis (as reported by Town & Country), Donald Trump described his older brother's impact on his life. "I had a brother Fred, great guy, best-looking guy, best personality, much better than mine, but he had a problem," the then-president said. "He had a problem with alcohol. And he would tell me don't drink. Don't drink. ...He was a strong guy, but it was a tough, tough thing that he was going through." He added that his brother's example served as a cautionary tale, and to this day, Trump sticks to Diet Coke.
Fred is survived by son Fred Jr., and a daughter, Mary Trump, who has become one of her uncle's harshest critics. In her 2020 book "Too Much and Never Enough," she claims that her father was considered the outcast of the family, and verbally abused by Fred Sr. She also reports her father was alone when he died, with brother Donald opting to go to the movies instead of the hospital.
Maryanne Trump Barry went into law
According to the University of Virginia, Fred Trump Sr. opposed the idea of his two daughters going into his real estate business. That wasn't enough to discourage Maryanne Trump Barry, the oldest of the siblings, from forging a successful career of her own. Taking a different path, Maryanne went into law, rising through the legal ranks to become a federal New Jersey District Court Judge, then a senior federal appellate judge for the Third Circuit.
Maryanne, who died in November 2023, was also just as outspoken as her brother — especially when it came to, well, her brother. She shared her true thoughts about the former president with her niece Mary Trump, who secretly recorded the conversations and quoted them in "Too Much and Never Enough." Maryanne sharply criticized Donald's handling of immigrant families as being immoral; she also called him a liar, "cruel," unprincipled, and a man who "doesn't read." The criticism didn't seem to bother the one-term POTUS, however. The day after a 2020 White House memorial service for Fred Trump, Donald was informed of his sister's harsh words. His response: "Every day it's something else. Who cares?" (per the Associated Press).
Elizabeth Trump Grau keeps a low profile
Elizabeth Joan Trump is the third in the family sibling line, and the most private. Like her siblings, she was raised in suburban Queens, New York, and attended the small Kew-Forest private school before going on to Southern Seminary College. Since joining her father's business was out of the question, Elizabeth forged her own path by becoming an executive at Chase Manhattan Bank. She wed James Grau, a film producer, in 1989; sister Maryanne officiated the civil ceremony.
The Graus lived in tony Westhampton Beach, Long Island, for a time, but now make their home near Mar-a-Lago, so presumably Elizabeth can visit Donald when convenient. Her relationship with Maryanne, however, may have cooled a bit. When niece Mary Trump's "Too Much and Never Enough" biography came out — including Maryanne's scathing comments about the former president — the Daily Mail tried to get a comment from Elizabeth. "I've got nothing to say," was her terse reply. "Not at all, not at all." As of this writing, Elizabeth has yet to discuss her brother's bid for re-election, nor is she expected to play a role in it. Then again, Donald Trump's own kids won't be playing a role in his potential 2024 administration, either.
Robert Trump's final journey was to the White House
The youngest of the Trump siblings, Robert Trump was also closely connected with his older brother, serving as an executive vice president in the Trump Organization. Robert was also a 20-year member of the board of directors of video gaming company ZeniMax Media, helping build the company from the ground up. Unlike Donald, Robert preferred to keep a low profile, particularly after his personal life became embarrassingly public. Married 25 years to society darling Blaine Trump, Robert carried on an affair with his secretary, Ann Marie Pallan. In 2004, he bought Pallan a pricey Long Island house and left his wife.
After his divorce was finalized, Robert retired and retreated to upstate New York with Pallan, whom he later married. He became respected in his community, per Town & Country, quietly donating to local causes. In 2016, as the presidential campaign was in full swing, he emerged to tell the New York Post, "I support Donald one thousand percent. I think he's doing a great job. He's got a great message."
Robert lived to see his brother's dream come true. But in August 2020, while Donald was in the midst of his second bid for office, Robert passed away at age 71 from an undisclosed illness. "He was not just my brother, he was my best friend," the then-president eulogized him. Fittingly, Robert's funeral service took place at the White House before a small group of family and friends.