By Tony Bruce and Mary Jones | Friday, December 13, 2024 | 6 min read
When we talk about Donald J. Trump and his penchant for lying, we often overlook a key part of his family history, especially the roots of his paternal side. While much attention is placed on Donald’s own words and actions, it’s important to look back at the figures who helped shape his family’s story—starting with his grandfather, Friedrich Drumpf, who immigrated to the United States in 1885, eventually anglicized his name to Fred Trump, a decision that marked the beginning of the family’s reinvention in America.
For decades, Donald Trump denied his German heritage entirely, instead claiming that his family hailed from Scandinavia. In his co-written book, The Art of the Deal, Trump boldly asserted that his grandfather “came here from Sweden as a child.” But this wasn’t just a casual slip-up. According to his cousin and family historian John Walter, this fabrication stemmed from Fred Trump, Donald’s father, who encouraged the lie after World War II. Fred feared that revealing their German ancestry might alienate Jewish clients and friends. “After the war,” Walter told The New York Times, “he’s still Swedish. [The lie] was just going, going, going.”
Fred Trump’s 1896 passport application offers a revealing, and somewhat troubling, glimpse into the family’s early immigration story. Like many immigrants of the time, Fred sought the opportunities a U.S. passport could provide, but the process, then as now, demanded honesty and transparency. Among the questions he faced was one that seemed straightforward: What was his complexion?
As a man of German descent, Fred’s complexion would have been considered quite fair. But on his application, he wrote something quite unexpected. He claimed that he was “dark” in complexion. Now, in the context of the passport application process, this statement raises eyebrows. It could be seen as a deliberate attempt to misrepresent his racial identity, possibly in a bid to qualify for certain privileges or perhaps to align himself with a different demographic.
What might have seemed like a simple question about Fred Trump’s appearance turned out to be much more significant when viewed through the lens of U.S. immigration law. When foreign-born individuals, such as Fred Trump, apply for U.S. passport, the process is not just a formality. The U.S. government, specifically U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), takes any dishonesty or misrepresentation on the passport application very seriously. In Fred Trump’s case, claiming he had a “dark” complexion when he was clearly of German descent could be seen as an attempt to misrepresent his identity. Given the country’s complex history of using race to determine who belongs and who doesn’t, this could have been perceived as a significant misstep.
This raises an important question: How would such a situation affect the broader narrative, especially the one pushed by some far-right groups who seek to portray immigrants as criminals or people who manipulate the U.S. immigration system? Fred Trump’s example undercuts that narrative. Instead of showing an immigrant who skirted the rules, we have a case where an immigrant’s application may have been misleading—casting doubt on the oversimplified portrayal of immigrants as only law-abiding or fraudulent.
This situation leads us to a difficult question: What would the Trump-era Justice Department have done in Fred Trump’s case? Would they have pursued deportation or perhaps even revoked his citizenship? Or, as was often the case with Trump, would he have been granted a pardon? Given the seriousness of the alleged misrepresentation, the response could have been harsh and immediate, especially if the individual were Black, Mexican, or Haitian. The stakes were incredibly high, and during a time when immigration laws were under intense scrutiny, even a small misstep—especially from a high-profile figure like Fred Trump—could have resulted in significant consequences.
Ultimately, this example challenges the way we think about immigration and citizenship, showing that even those who have risen to positions of power might be subject to the same legal standards that apply to everyone else.
In the current immigration climate, dishonesty on a passport application—whether it’s about someone’s background, residence, or, in Fred Trump’s case, their complexion—is considered a form of perjury. If found guilty of providing false information, an individual could face serious consequences, including denaturalization and, in some cases, even deportation. The stakes in the passport application process are high, and dishonesty can unravel a carefully constructed future in the U.S.
It’s completely understandable for immigrants to feel immense pressure when applying for U.S. citizenship or a passport. The fear of rejection or the overwhelming desire to succeed can sometimes push individuals to make choices they later regret. In Fred Trump’s case, it’s unclear whether his statement about his complexion was an honest mistake or an attempt to deceive authorities. His complicated history, which includes avoiding military service in Germany and his eventual deportation during a visit with his German wife, adds further uncertainty to his intentions. Additionally, the anti-German sentiment prevalent in the U.S. at the time, due to the war, may have influenced his decision, as German-born citizens were often treated with suspicion.
What’s undeniable, though, is that any inconsistency or discrepancy—whether intentional or accidental—can raise serious questions about one’s honesty and intentions. These missteps, no matter how minor they seem, have the potential to derail an entire application, putting everything at risk.
Passport fraud is considered a federal crime, and the penalties can be substantial, including fines or imprisonment. The example of Fred Trump’s passport fraud serves as a cautionary tale. It illustrates just how carefully the government reviews the details provided by applicants, and how even small missteps can have larger ramifications. In a system designed to be transparent and fair, honesty is paramount. For those applying for citizenship, it’s important to remember that no matter how difficult the process may seem, integrity must always come first.
While Fred Trump’s case may seem distant and disconnected from his son, Donald J. Trump’s political career, it’s worth noting how patterns of behavior can trickle down through generations. The importance of maintaining the truth, especially when the stakes are so high, is a lesson that applies to all applicants, regardless of their background. In Fred Trump’s case, whether his statement about his complexion was an honest mistake or an intentional misrepresentation, it stands as a reminder of the value of truthfulness in such a critical process.
Ultimately, the privilege of becoming a U.S. citizen is one that requires a commitment to transparency, respect for the law, and an honest reflection of one’s identity. For those, like Fred Trump, who sought a new life in America, the naturalization process was a pivotal moment—a moment in which honesty could pave the way for a better future, or dishonesty could result in harsh penalties. The lesson from Fred Trump’s story is clear: whether you are a Trump or anyone else, the truth will always matter in matters of citizenship.
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