LETTER: Fictional character

Published 1:30 am Saturday, July 18, 2026

Many Americans support Donald Trump because they believe in a carefully crafted image rather than the reality of the man himself.

The Trump they admire is largely a fictional character created through books, television and decades of branding.

Consider “The Art of the Deal.”

Tony Schwartz, the book’s actual author, has repeatedly stated that he wrote the book and later suggested it should almost be classified as fiction because it presented an exaggerated version of Trump as a master businessman.

Then came “The Apprentice,” a highly produced reality TV show that portrayed Trump as a brilliant executive making tough decisions from a luxurious boardroom.

Former producers have acknowledged that the program was carefully edited to enhance his image and create compelling television.

The result is that millions came to believe the television character was the real person.

The actual record tells a different story.

Trump inherited enormous wealth and advantages from his father. He has gone through multiple corporate bankruptcies, launched numerous failed business ventures, been married three times and has faced a long history of lawsuits and controversies.

Contractors have accused him of refusing full payment for completed work, forcing some to accept pennies on the dollar rather than engage in costly legal battles.

Yet many supporters continue to see the successful businessman from television rather than the man behind the brand.

In many ways, Trump’s greatest achievement was not building an empire but building a character.

The tragedy is that a significant portion of the country still confuses the fictional version with reality.

Brian Berry

Sequim