How a Forbes reporter calculates Trump’s wealth

Charlie Herman of WNYC interviewed Forbes reporter Dan Alexander about the business magazine’s reporting tactics used to determine President Donald Trump’s wealth.

Forbes estimates that Trump’s net worth is $3.1 billion, down from $4.5 billion it estimates in 2015.

The magazine drew on interviews with nearly 200 of the president’s colleagues, partners and industry observers to show why Trump is failing to boost his net worth since entering the Oval Office, despite his attempts to cash in.

“Now he has to file a lot of financial information,” said Alexander. “And before, he would tell financial information The information that he told doesn’t really line up with what now he is filing with the federal government.”

Alexander said that interviewing several hundred people allowed Forbes to provide a more precise number. It looked at the profitability of Trump’s buildings and then asked real estate brokers what they thought about the worth of those buildings, and then took an estimate of broker estimates.

Alexander also noted that many of Trump’s real estate properties are not as prominent as they once were.

To listen, go here.