It's the kind of allegation that lands with a thud, knocking the air out of the room. Fred Trump III, the nephew of former President Donald Trump, has unleashed a series of explosive claims about his uncle in his forthcoming memoir, All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way. Among the most shocking is that Donald Trump once suggested that disabled Americans, including Fred III's own disabled son, "should just die."
The bombshell assertion was revealed in various excerpts of the memoir published by Time and The Guardian. According to Fred Trump III, the statement was made during a meeting in the Oval Office in May 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fred Trump III described the meeting as a discussion that included himself, his uncle, then-Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, and disability rights advocates. It was a heartfelt conversation focused on the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and the resources needed to support them. Fred III's own son William, diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder known as KCNQ2 mutation, was an integral part of the discussion.
After the formal meeting, Fred Trump III says he was invited back into the Oval Office for a private talk with his uncle. It was there that Donald Trump allegedly made the appalling remark.
"Those people … The shape they're in, all the expenses, maybe those kinds of people should just die," Fred Trump III recalls his uncle saying. The comment left him stunned.
Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung has vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them as "fabricated" and "total fake news." Cheung went on to say, "Anyone who knows President Trump knows he would never use such language, and false stories like this have been thoroughly debunked."
But Fred Trump III's claims don't end there. He recounts another disturbing encounter later that year at Briarcliff Manor, home to the Trump National Golf Club in Westchester, New York. During this meeting, Fred III sought financial assistance for his son's medical fund, to which Donald Trump had previously contributed.
Fred III says that his uncle's response was beyond callous: "I don't know. He doesn't recognize you. Maybe you should just let him die and move down to Florida."
This is a sentiment that emerges multiple times in Fred Trump III's memoir. He describes an early memory from the 1970s when Donald Trump showed him a damaged Cadillac convertible and used a racial slur to blame the damage on African Americans.
"'N***,' I recall him saying disgustedly. 'Look at what the n*** did,''' recounts Fred Trump III in one painful anecdote.
Donald Trump has long been a subject of controversy regarding his attitudes toward race and disability. During his 2015 presidential campaign, Trump was widely criticized for mocking a disabled New York Times reporter, Serge Kovaleski, who has a congenital joint condition. Trump later claimed that he was not mocking Kovaleski's disability, but was instead criticizing his journalism.
While Fred Trump III's memoir adds to this roster of unsettling tales, it also raises broader questions about the Trump family's internal dynamics and the moral compass that guides them. Those familiar with the family's history may remember that Fred Trump Jr., Donald's older brother and the father of Fred Trump III, struggled with alcoholism and died at the age of 42.
The legacy of the elder Fred Trump appears to loom large in the family's saga. Fred Trump Sr., the family patriarch and a successful New York construction magnate, left behind a will that spurred a feud among his descendants. Fred Trump III and his sister Mary Trump were effectively disinherited, and the funding for William's medical care was cut off.
This bitter family history adds a layer of poignancy and complexity to Fred Trump III's new memoir. As the eldest son of Fred Trump Jr., Fred III has not only navigated the highs and lows of being part of the Trump dynasty but has also faced the challenges of raising a profoundly disabled child.
Fred Trump III's memoir aims to put a human face on issues often discussed in the abstract—disability, healthcare, and family dynamics. His experiences serve as both a personal narrative and a broader critique of societal attitudes toward disability and caregiving.
"Acceptance and tolerance would only come with public education and awareness," writes Fred Trump III in one of the passages of his book. "Donald might never understand this."
Indeed, as Fred Trump III prepares to publish his tell-all memoir, it seems clear that his goal is bigger than settling scores with his famous uncle. Through his account, he hopes to shed light on the ongoing struggles faced by families like his own—and to highlight the societal and systemic changes needed to support them better.
The release of All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way is sure to ignite further debate and perhaps even inspire a reevaluation of how political and public figures interact with pressing social issues. As readers delve into Fred Trump III's memoir, they may find themselves questioning not just the actions of one prominent family but also the broader implications for society at large.