Bibles, crypto, Truth Social, gold bars: Trump's reported sources of income

Billionaire Trump's financial disclosures reveal that he owns more than $1 mn worth of cryptocurrency and up to $250,000 in gold bars along with portfolio of golf courses and real estate properties

Former US President Donald Trump owns more than $1 million worth of cryptocurrency and up to $250,000 in gold bars along with the portfolio of golf courses and real estate properties that have made him a billionaire, according to newly released financial disclosures.

The details come from documents filed by Trump as part of his Republican presidential bid that were released Thursday night.

The more than 200 pages of paperwork give a limited picture of the real estate developer-turned reality TV star-turned-president's money and investments. In accordance with federal law, most assets' values are listed in a range, though Trump reports the precise figure for some of his income. The document does not detail the former president's business losses, making it impossible to determine how much of a profit any of his myriad holdings provides.

But it provides a glimpse at Trump's vast wealth and some new details about the unusual ways he makes money.

Unusual investments and Sources of income

Trump reported earning $300,000 off sales of an edition of the Bible that he and country singer Lee Greenwood endorsed, known as The Greenwood Bible. He also earned $4.4 million in royalties off a book called Letters to Trump and $500,000 off one called A MAGA Journey. Trump still receives royalties on a wide number of other books, including The Art of the Deal, which came out in 1987 and netted the former president $50,000 to $100,000 in the past year.

As a onetime member of the Screen Actors Guild, Trump receives an annual pension of $90,776.

Trump's fame comes from real estate, but his current biggest asset is likely his media company that operates the social media network Truth Social. The company went public in March, and Trump reports owning more than 114 million shares in the firm. He is currently unable to sell the shares as part of a lock-up agreement preventing major shareholders from selling stock for six months after it goes public, but with company stock at about $23 per share Friday, his holdings are worth more than $2 billion.

Some of Trump's other investments are also unusual. He reports having $1 million to $5 million worth of the cryptocurrency ethereum, a noteworthy holding because he's vowed to lift regulations on the cryptocurrency industry should he return to the White House.

Trump also reported earning $7.15 million in licensing fees from NFT INT, which appears to be a firm selling digital tokens. His wife, Melania, earned $330,000 from selling NFTs, according to the report.

The former president also reported owning $100,000 to $250,000 in gold bars.

Those assets are dwarfed by a wide range of sizable investments in traditional stocks and even a wide range of municipal and school bonds, as well as his real estate holdings.

Broad Business Empire

Trump reports a wide range of companies and investments that span the globe. Many appear to simply be trademark claims in countries as varied as Argentina, Belarus, Cuba and India. Others are generating money for him, including more than $3 million in income that he reported from licenses in Dubai and more than $2 million in Oman.

Trump's golf courses also generate money for him, including $37 million from his club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he gave a rambling press conference on Thursday; $31 million from his golf club in Jupiter, Florida; and 26 million British pounds (the equivalent of 33.5 million USD) worth of revenue from his Turnberry course in Scotland.

Trump's flagship resort of Mar-a-Lago in Florida generated more than $56 million in income, according to the report.

Melania Trump received a $237,000 payment for speaking to the conservative gay rights group Log Cabin Republicans in April.

Noteworthy debts

Trump lists several debts, including one stemming from litigation against him by the New York attorney general's office alleging business fraud and two more from a magazine writer.

A jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll in 1996, and a second jury found he slandered her when he continued to deny it.

Trump lists his debts to Carroll as between $1 million and $5 million and more than $50 million, the highest category available. The lawsuit judgments against him were for $5 million and $88 million respectively. Trump is appealing the verdicts.

Likewise, Trump lists his debt to the New York attorney general's office as more than $50 million. He owes nearly $500 million in the civil fraud judgment and is appealing that verdict as well.