Throughout his public life, Donald Trump has focused his attention and ridicule on the origins of folks he doesn't like. He questioned whether or not former President Barack Obama was actually born in the United States and pointed out that his father had been born in Kenya. As part of his pursuit of the Republican nomination for president in 2016, he famously derided the familial connections of Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz. Since gaining the Oval Office, his administration has pursued an anti-immigrant agenda. More recently, he has chided Senator Elizabeth Warren for her claims of Native American heritage.
As Mr. Trump appears to be so interested in the subject of the origins of his enemies, I thought it would be interesting to shed a little light on his own origins. Considering his rhetoric on the subject, we would be justified in assuming that Trump has deep American roots. However, when we take a look at his family tree, that assumption is easily disproved. In fact, it turns out that The Donald's
American roots are extremely shallow!
In Natasha Frost's The Trump Family's Immigrant Story https://www.history.com/news/donald-trump-father-mother-ancestry, we read: "Trump is the son, and grandson, of immigrants: German on his father’s side, and Scottish on his mother’s. None of his grandparents, and only one of his parents, was born in the United States or spoke English as their mother tongue. (His mother’s parents, from the remote Scottish Outer Hebrides, lived in a majority Gaelic-speaking community.)" In fact, Frost informs us that Trump's grandfather (Friedrich) fled Germany in 1885 to avoid "three years of compulsory military service." Frost also reveals that the patriarch and his wife tried to return to Germany a few years later, but they lost their citizenship and had to return to America when it was discovered that he had been a draft dodger.
Apparently, Trump's father (Fred) was ashamed of his German roots as he told everyone that his ancestry was Swedish. In fairness to him, we must put this in the context of the Twentieth Century. Remember, there were two world wars and a holocaust that most folks attributed to Germany.
Nevertheless, genealogical records support Frost's article. For instance, we know that Friedrich Trump was born on 29 March 1869 in Kallstadt, Bayern, Germany to Johann Trump and Katharina Kober (Germany Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898, https://www.familysearch.org). Likewise, we know from Frederick Trump's (Donald's father) birth record that both of his parents were born in Germany (New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909, https://www.familysearch.org). Likewise, the 1940 U.S. Census of Queens, New York lists Mary Trump's (Donald's mother) birthplace as Scotland (https://www.familysearch.org).
Hence, for Donald J. Trump, there is no ancestral connection to the colonial period, the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II or the Korean War. It should also be noted that Mr. Trump secured several deferments during the period of the Vietnam War and consequently didn't serve during that conflict. Moreover, none of his children or descendants have served in any of the subsequent wars or military actions involving the United States. And, because of his own background, it is perhaps more understandable that two of his three wives were born in Eastern Europe, not in the United States.
Of course, these FACTS are beyond dispute, but they do not mean that we should regard Donald Trump as being less American than any of the rest of us. These FACTS, however, do suggest that Mr. Trump should be more careful about casting aspersions at the origins of those of his countrymen that he doesn't like. You know - the whole people who live in glass houses thing!
As Mr. Trump appears to be so interested in the subject of the origins of his enemies, I thought it would be interesting to shed a little light on his own origins. Considering his rhetoric on the subject, we would be justified in assuming that Trump has deep American roots. However, when we take a look at his family tree, that assumption is easily disproved. In fact, it turns out that The Donald's
American roots are extremely shallow!
In Natasha Frost's The Trump Family's Immigrant Story https://www.history.com/news/donald-trump-father-mother-ancestry, we read: "Trump is the son, and grandson, of immigrants: German on his father’s side, and Scottish on his mother’s. None of his grandparents, and only one of his parents, was born in the United States or spoke English as their mother tongue. (His mother’s parents, from the remote Scottish Outer Hebrides, lived in a majority Gaelic-speaking community.)" In fact, Frost informs us that Trump's grandfather (Friedrich) fled Germany in 1885 to avoid "three years of compulsory military service." Frost also reveals that the patriarch and his wife tried to return to Germany a few years later, but they lost their citizenship and had to return to America when it was discovered that he had been a draft dodger.
Apparently, Trump's father (Fred) was ashamed of his German roots as he told everyone that his ancestry was Swedish. In fairness to him, we must put this in the context of the Twentieth Century. Remember, there were two world wars and a holocaust that most folks attributed to Germany.
Nevertheless, genealogical records support Frost's article. For instance, we know that Friedrich Trump was born on 29 March 1869 in Kallstadt, Bayern, Germany to Johann Trump and Katharina Kober (Germany Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898, https://www.familysearch.org). Likewise, we know from Frederick Trump's (Donald's father) birth record that both of his parents were born in Germany (New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909, https://www.familysearch.org). Likewise, the 1940 U.S. Census of Queens, New York lists Mary Trump's (Donald's mother) birthplace as Scotland (https://www.familysearch.org).
Hence, for Donald J. Trump, there is no ancestral connection to the colonial period, the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II or the Korean War. It should also be noted that Mr. Trump secured several deferments during the period of the Vietnam War and consequently didn't serve during that conflict. Moreover, none of his children or descendants have served in any of the subsequent wars or military actions involving the United States. And, because of his own background, it is perhaps more understandable that two of his three wives were born in Eastern Europe, not in the United States.
Of course, these FACTS are beyond dispute, but they do not mean that we should regard Donald Trump as being less American than any of the rest of us. These FACTS, however, do suggest that Mr. Trump should be more careful about casting aspersions at the origins of those of his countrymen that he doesn't like. You know - the whole people who live in glass houses thing!
