Donald Trump shares the personal reason behind his decision to never drink alcohol, citing his brother Fred’s battle with addiction and his tragic early death.
US President Donald Trump, now 79 and currently in his second term, has always been known for his controversial stance on various issues, but one of the more personal aspects of his life is his choice to remain sober. Unlike many of his political predecessors, Trump has never touched alcohol, and he recently revealed the personal reasons behind his decision during an appearance on This Past Weekend, a podcast hosted by Theo Von.
When Von asked, “I noticed at the events you don’t drink or smoke, right? You never have?” Trump opened up about how a tragedy within his family influenced his decision to stay away from intoxicants throughout his life.
Trump shared that the death of his older brother, Fred Trump Jr., had a profound impact on him. Fred tragically passed away in 1981 at the age of 42 due to complications from alcohol abuse.
“No, I never have,” Trump replied when asked about his history with alcohol. “I had a great brother who taught me a lesson.”
He continued, “He smoked and drank – great guy – he was a very handsome guy. He had a problem with alcohol and smoked a lot, but I tell people, ‘No drugs, no drinking, no cigarettes.’ I tell that to my kids all the time.”
Trump fondly remembered his brother and spoke about how much he looked up to him despite his struggles. “So he was old enough that you would look up to somebody and I’d look up to him. I admired so much about him, he had so much going for him. He had the look, he had an unbelievable personality.”
Fred’s battle with alcohol addiction “amazed” Trump, who expressed astonishment at how his brother’s body could withstand years of damage from alcohol abuse. “I think it had probably happened in college at a fraternity maybe? Somewhere along the line it happened and all of a sudden – this is not unique, this is a very common story unfortunately – the family would see it and start to notice it and it didn’t get better,” Trump explained.
He was deeply affected by Fred’s condition and shared how, despite Fred’s body enduring so much damage, it continued to “hold out” for longer than expected. “He lived for so long in bad conditions. I was amazed his body could hold out. It held out, and it had bad moments, but his body was unbelievably strong that it could withstand this.”
Trump acknowledged that his brother’s struggle had a lasting impact on him, adding that he could see himself potentially facing the same addiction issues if he had ever tried alcohol. “I could envision myself as an addict,” he confessed.
This tragic family story has influenced Trump’s views on alcohol and addiction, and it’s something he hasn’t shied away from discussing. In 2018, Trump told Fox News, “I had a brother, Fred – great guy, best-looking guy, best personality, much better than mine. But he had a problem with alcohol and he would tell me, ‘Don’t drink, don’t drink.’”
“He had a very, very tough life because of alcohol,” Trump continued. “He was a strong guy, but it was a tough, tough thing that he was going through. I learned because of Fred.”
Trump’s story highlights the profound impact addiction can have on families and how personal experiences shape the choices we make. His decision to remain sober throughout his life is a tribute to the lessons he learned from his brother’s struggle.
