Russell Berman was previously WSN’s editor-in-chief in 2003 and currently serves as the paper’s editorial adviser. Berman has been a staff writer for The Atlantic for 10 years.

 

Former President Donald Trump was a television star, not a politician, when he spoke to students at the Stern School of Business 20 years ago this fall. His show, “The Apprentice,” had quickly become a hit when it premiered earlier that year, and I remember having to sneak in to cover his appearance in a packed lecture hall, which wasn’t widely advertised. As you can see, the trademarks of his speaking style as a candidate — crass humor, denigrating politicians, not-so-humble bragging — were on full display back then.

 

This story was originally published on Sept. 30, 2004. Read the archived page here.

Real estate magnate-turned-television star Donald Trump dished out career advice to a captive NYU audience last night, warning 300 Stern graduate students to “be paranoid,” “get even” and perhaps most importantly, “always have a prenuptial agreement.”

 

With his attractive young fiancee Melania Knauss seated nearby, Trump spoke for nearly an hour to an invitation-only crowd of Stern master’s students at the Schimmel Auditorium in Tisch Hall.

 

In a talk peppered with jokes and self-deprecation, Trump advised the aspiring businessmen and women to be both aggressive and cautious.

 

“Think big,” Trump said at the outset. “I always like thinking big. I find that when you do the big, glamour deal, it’s easier to finance.”

 

Yet, when it came to dealing with people, Trump offered a more pessimistic approach, one with which fans of his hit NBC show, “The Apprentice,” should be familiar.

 

“Get the best people, and trust them … eh, maybe not,” he said to laughter. “Get the best people, but don’t really trust them. Partially trust them, but watch them.”

 

Known for his confidence and candor, Trump did not disappoint, referring to independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader as a “moron” before ruling out a political career for himself, saying that he was “too honest” to be a politician.

 

The billionaire also had salty words for his ex-wife, Marla Maples: “She cost me a freakin’ fortune,” he said. “Actually, she was a pretty nice girl.”

 

While “The Apprentice,” now in its second season, has been a steady ratings hit, Trump has not fared as well of late with his casino company, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Still, Trump maintained his optimistic swagger.

 

“Watch the deal I pull off, just watch,” he said. “I think that something very spectacular is going to happen with the casinos.”

 

Trump, dressed sharply in a gray suit and pink tie, spoke informally for much of his speech. His earned his biggest laughs when he joked about his infamous love life.

 

“Always have a prenuptial agreement,” Trump advised, nodding to fiancee Knauss, a 33-year-old former model. “Now it’s hard for me to say that in front of my little baby, because she’s the greatest.”

 

Trump spoke for about 30 minutes before taking questions from the audience. He was brought to NYU by Steven Florio, a Stern graduate and the former head of Conde Nast. Florio, now a vice chairman of Advance Magazine Group, recruited Trump to speak to the class on leadership he is teaching at Stern.

 

“I told him, ‘I make $275,000 a speech, Steve. I’m not doing one for you,’” Trump joked before beginning his talk. He said Florio had told him he would be speaking to about 40 students, a number that rose to 300.

 

Trump, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, also referenced the rivalry between his alma mater, the nation’s top ranked business school, and Stern.

 

“You guys are all smart, or you wouldn’t be at NYU,” he said. “I mean, you could have gone to Wharton. Well, a lot of you probably couldn’t get into Wharton.”

 

Between the jokes, however, Trump did offer some serious advice:

 

“Be passionate about what you do. Love what you do,” he said. “It’s going to make you happier.”