The former president continues to profit from the swaths of property he owns across the world, including 125,000 square feet of commercial real estate near Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. During his presidency Donald Trump raked in an impressive $781 million from his commercial real estate portfolio, and during the COVID-19 pandemic Trump's commercial real estate investments have helped keep his finances afloat.

Trump benefited from long-term commercial tenants locked into long leases. In fact, in two office building locations – 555 California Street (Trump has a 30% share) and New York City’s 1290 Avenue of the Americas – rent in 2020 actually increased, quite a feat considering most businesses pivoted to working from home models and many offices were empty.

However, Trump may be concerned about the future of his commercial real estate interests. These assets make up three-quarters of his fortune but have an estimated $1.3 billion in debt tied up in them, $738 million of which is due within the next few years, according to Forbes in October last year. Trump is pictured here in 1980 with a model of what is arguably the most famous building his organization has built: Trump Tower.

Why Trump's fortune is on the rise again, despite his troubles