The film was commissioned in 1988 by Leonard Stern as the first of a series on celebrity businessmen and finished in 1991. Back then, the only way for a film to be seen was on television or in the theater. Donald threatened to sue any broadcaster or distributor that took on the film. In effect, it was suppressed. It was screened twice in back-to-back standing room only showings at the Bridgehampton Community House on July 3, 1991, the same day that Donald announced his engagement to Marla Maples.

Donald Trump is one of the richest and most famous men in America, but on what foundation has his success been built? From accusations of harassment to repeated flirtations with bankruptcy, his very public business career has been one of artifice and intrigue; a Machiavellian performance played out before the American media. Originally produced in 1991, "Donald Trump: What's the Deal?" investigates the unscrupulous reality behind this most public of figures. Swaggering and assured, exaggerated statements have become Trump's trademark, making him as much a celebrity as a businessman; a poster boy for American capitalism. This air of cocky invincibility has, however, repeatedly hidden a questionable and often duplicitous business approach. Ignoring the facade, this remarkable and revealing documentary exposes the unsavory truth of the self-professed 'People's Billionaire'.

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