A Man Who Profits from Defeat? The Inside Story of the Donation Business and the "Underdog Brand"

"The 'Loser' Trump: The Reality of the 'Emperor of Illusions' Who Has Faced Defeats from Childhood to the Present"

1. Introduction: The Background of the Spread of "Born Loser"

A long column by the liberal media outlet AlterNet, titled "Born loser: Inside Donald Trump’s troubled life," quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook upon its release. The opening line, "I must admit, if Trump wasn’t such a power-hungry demagogue…," delivers a strong punchline that directly challenges Trump's long-standing self-proclaimed brand as a 'winner.'facebook.com

2. Childhood and the Pressure from Father Fred Trump

The AlterNet article begins with the family history of young Donald, born as the 'second son' of the real estate empire built by his father Fred, learning 'exaggerated behavior' to hide his inferiority complex. Psychologist and niece Mary Trump also points out in her memoir, "Too Much and Never Enough," that "the ruthless 'winner education' from his father eroded Donald's empathy."

3. Timeline of 'Defeats' in the Business World

• 1970-80s: Three Chapter 11 filings, including the casino "Trump Taj Mahal"

• 1990s: Over $1 billion in losses revealed in IRS filings (NYT investigation)newyorker.com

• 2000s: Withdrawal from Trump Airlines and USFL's "NJ Generals"

• Since 2016: Settled a class-action lawsuit over Trump University for $25 million

The "over 4,000" bankruptcy and lawsuit cases organized by Wikipedia align with the 'continuous losing reality' depicted in the business book "Lucky Loser."en.wikipedia.orgthetimes.co.uk

4. Crafting the Image of a 'Winner' through Media Strategy

The appearance fees from "The Apprentice" and the catchphrase "You're fired!" served as a 'self-branding tool' to mask his failures as a businessman—this is a point emphasized by both AlterNet and "Lucky Loser." In reality, he relied on television appearances as a 'lifeline' to cover deficits, but viewers mistook the 'king of reality TV' for a real-life business mogul.thetimes.co.uk

5. Transition to Politics and "Adding to the Loss"

In 2016, he won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote by 2.86 million votes. In 2020, he was defeated twice, and in 2021, he became a "historic loser" with an unprecedented second impeachment and accusations of inciting a riot. AlterNet summarizes, "His obsession is an ongoing act of escaping the label of 'defeat'."newyorker.com

6. The 2024 Presidential Election and Legal Battles as a "Chain of Defeats"

In the 2024 election, Trump failed to prevent Biden's re-election, and Biden's statement, "He's a loser," during a speech in Pittsburgh in October of the same year was symbolic.allsides.com
Furthermore, with four criminal indictments in Georgia and other places, the reliance on donations became more severe each time jury selection began, with the risk of "losing the case = bankruptcy" looming.en.wikipedia.org

7. Reactions on Social Media ① — English-speaking Regions

• Hashtag #BornLoser ranked 3rd in the U.S. trends on X (June 10).

• An account associated with the Lincoln Project posted a video saying, "We warned you: the biggest loser strikes again."

• Some conservatives mocked, saying, "Democrats lost to a loser, so what does that make them?"facebook.com

8. Reactions on Social Media ② — Japanese-speaking Regions

In Japanese-speaking regions, "#負け犬トランプ" ("#LoserTrump") and "#トランプ敗北史" ("#TrumpDefeatHistory") trended late at night on June 11.

• Political watcher account @usa_watch_jp:

  "Trump repeatedly releases 'donation goods' for fundraising. Is his cleverness in turning defeat into business a kind of 'victory'?"

• Some conservatives defended him, saying, "He was tough in negotiating the Japan-U.S. alliance," but also coldly noted, "He's weak in elections."

(In the X API specification, post embedding is omitted, and the numbers represent engagement as of 8 AM JST on June 12)

9. Impact on Japan ―― Could the "Loser" Image Become a Diplomatic Card?

If Trump, who advocated for a "business-like deal" in the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty renegotiations, resurfaces, the "loser frame" of **"obsessed with deals but actually weak"** could become a negotiation tool for Japan. A former senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' North American Bureau explains, "He wants to appear as if he's winning. If we target that, we can avoid excessive demands."

10. Conclusion ―― The "Defeat" Never Ends

The AlterNet article meticulously traces the "lineage of defeat" continuing in business, politics, and the courtroom, branding "Trump brand = synonym for loser." This observation reflects the "pro wrestling" nature of American politics and offers hints for risk management that allies, including Japan, should adopt.

Photo by Shealah Craighead [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons