Trump had two mortgages he claimed were primary dwellings, records show

Donald Trump's Mortgage Maze: Did He Break the Law or Just Make a Smart Investment?

In a stunning revelation, records show that Donald Trump signed two separate mortgage documents in the 1990s, claiming both properties would serve as his primary residence. However, instead of living there, he rented them out as investment properties, just months before the Trump administration began calling similar behavior "mortgage fraud."

ProPublica has uncovered documents demonstrating that within seven weeks of each other in late 1993 and early 1994, Trump obtained loans for two neighboring Palm Beach homes, pledging each would be his primary dwelling. The mortgage agreements came with standard occupancy requirements mandating Trump live in the properties for at least a year.

But Trump never lived in either home, instead renting them out annually to generate rental income. His real estate agent told the Miami Herald that the properties were leased annually, and Shirley Wyner, who served as rental agent for both homes, confirmed that Trump never resided there.

Trump's actions have been likened to mortgage fraud by his administration, but experts say proving intent is key in such cases. Mortgage finance expert Kathleen Engel notes that Trump's loans exceed the threshold established by his administration for fraudulent conduct.

The White House has defended Trump's transactions, stating that both mortgages came from the same lender and that there is no suggestion of illegality. However, critics argue that Trump's actions demonstrate a lack of transparency and accountability in his financial dealings.

Trump himself has called such behavior "deceitful and potentially criminal," but it remains to be seen whether he will face any consequences for his actions. The investigation into mortgage fraud by the Federal Housing Finance Agency has pursued several high-profile Democrats, but Trump's administration has yet to make publicly known any criminal referrals against Republican officials with similar mortgage patterns.

As one expert noted, the statute of limitations for mortgage fraud is long, and it remains unclear whether Trump's actions would fall within that timeframe. However, the revelation raises questions about Trump's financial dealings and his commitment to transparency in his personal finances.

I don’t usually comment but... this whole thing just feels like a big mess . I mean, Trump signs these mortgage documents saying he’s going to live in them as his primary residence, but then he just rents them out? That doesn’t seem right to me. And the fact that the White House is defending him and not calling it out for what it is... shady .

I also don’t get why there aren’t more consequences for Trump. I mean, if everyone else is held to the same standards, then why isn’t he? It’s just not fair . And another thing, how did no one notice this back in the day? You’d think with all the scrutiny he was under as president, someone would have dug deeper into his finances a lot sooner.

Anyway, I guess what I’m saying is that Trump's actions do seem questionable, and it’s not just about whether he broke the law or not... it’s about the lack of transparency and accountability .

I'm thinkin' what's really goin' on here is that people are more worried about the optics than the actual law . Like, yeah, Trump rented out those houses, but did he break the law? I don't know, man... the statute of limitations thing is a wild card. But seriously, if we're gonna scrutinize his financial moves, shouldn't we also be lookin' at the ones who came before him? The fact that some high-profile Democrats got off scot-free just 'cause it's a Republican in charge is just shady . And can we please focus on gettin' to the bottom of what actually happened instead of makin' assumptions about Trump's intentions?

I'm not buying this . Trump's whole thing sounds like a huge load of BS to me. If he claimed those properties were his primary residence and then rented them out as soon as possible, that's just common sense not being used here...like, if you want to claim a property is your primary residence, you should actually live there, right? I mean, come on, it's not like he was hiding this from the IRS or something. But still, this does raise some red flags about Trump's financial dealings and lack of transparency...and let's be real, if his admin is defending him on this, that just makes me even more skeptical

I'm all about living in alignment with our values, you know? So when it comes to Donald Trump's mortgage situation, it seems like he was all about making a smart investment while dodging the whole "living in your own home" thing . The fact that he claimed those properties as his primary residence but actually used them for short-term rentals raises some major red flags .

It's like, I get it, money is important and we all want to make smart financial decisions . But when it comes to transparency and accountability, it's all about being honest with ourselves and others . And let's be real, if he was so confident that his actions were legit, why did he need to sign two separate mortgage documents? It just seems like a whole lot of unnecessary complexity .

I'm curious to see how this plays out, though . Will Trump face any consequences for his actions? Only time will tell . But one thing's for sure - it's all about being mindful of our own financial decisions and making choices that align with our values .

OMG u guys wut r going on here ?! So Donald Trump was like "oh I'm gonna live in this house" but really he just rented it out for cash ! And then he does the same thing with another house, like 2 weeks later . The gov is all "this is mortgage fraud" but like how can u prove they actually intended to be dishonest? It's like if I said I was gonna use my laptop for work but really I'm just playing Fortnite all day . Anyway, this is some sketchy stuff and Trump's administration is being pretty shady about it . Can't wait 2 see what happens next

Come on, this guy's a genius or something ! He makes 2 loans for houses he never lives in, rents them out and makes bank ! And now everyone's saying "oh no, he did mortgage fraud" like it's some kind of surprise? Gimme a break. He's been doing business like this his whole life, why start now? I mean, what's the big deal? He makes it work and that's all that matters. The government needs to get over itself and stop picking on him .

It's quite fascinating to see how Donald Trump's alleged mortgage shenanigans have garnered so much attention . While some might call it "smart investing" or simply a clever real estate strategy, I believe this whole situation reeks of a lack of transparency and accountability . The fact that he claimed both properties as his primary residence when in reality they were being rented out as investment properties does seem suspicious .

From an expert's perspective, the question of intent is indeed crucial when it comes to mortgage fraud allegations . However, given that Trump's loans exceed the threshold established by his administration for fraudulent conduct, it's hard not to raise eyebrows .

It's also interesting to note how this investigation has been handled by Trump's administration . While they've defended Trump's actions as legitimate, critics argue that the lack of transparency and accountability is a red flag . As for Trump himself, calling his behavior "deceitful and potentially criminal" seems like a classic case of deflection .

Ultimately, we'll have to wait and see how this investigation unfolds . One thing's for sure – this saga has shed some light on the complexities of financial dealings and the importance of transparency in high-profile cases .

I'm not buying the "not my problem" narrative here . Trump essentially played a game of mortgage roulette, claiming he lived in these properties when he clearly didn't. He was making bank from these rentals while passing the buck on whether he actually called these places home. And now, the statute of limitations is long? That's just code for "we're not gonna touch him with this one". It's all about who you know and how well-connected your team is .

I think Trump's situation is a perfect example of how nuanced the law can be when it comes to financial transactions. While he did technically break some rules by not living in those properties as claimed, I'm not convinced that his actions were maliciously intended. The distinction between 'mortgage fraud' and simply making smart investments is often blurred, especially for people like Trump who have a strong background in real estate.

It's interesting to note how the White House has chosen to downplay this incident, while still acknowledging the potential concerns around transparency. I'd love to see more scrutiny on whether similar behaviors are being unfairly singled out from Republicans compared to Democrats, as one expert pointed out. It's all about context and understanding the motivations behind Trump's actions

I'm shocked, like 90% of Americans are, that Donald Trump signed those mortgage documents and claimed they were his primary residence when we all know he was just trying to boost his investment portfolio ! Did he really think no one would catch on?

According to ProPublica's records, the first loan was for $1.8 million in 1993 , with a standard occupancy requirement of at least a year . Meanwhile, Trump rented it out for $150,000 that same year ! Talk about a sweet deal .

Now, experts are saying he didn't break the law... yet , but the lack of transparency and accountability in his financial dealings is a major concern . The White House says there's no suggestion of illegality , but I'm not buying it .

Here are some stats to put this into perspective:

* 70% of Americans trust their banks more than the government
* 60% of Americans believe in the importance of financial transparency
* 90% of Americans think Donald Trump's actions are "unacceptable" (Note: These stats are based on a recent survey and may not be exact, but they give you an idea of public opinion)

Investigation into mortgage fraud? Let's see how long it takes for this to play out... .

This whole thing has me shook! Like, I get why they're defending him, but come on, two mortgages with occupancy requirements and he just rents them out? That doesn't sound like smart investing to me... it sounds like trying to game the system . And what's up with the statute of limitations being so long? It feels like no one wants to hold him accountable for his actions . I'm not saying he broke any laws or anything, but this lack of transparency is sketchy, you know? Maybe we should be keeping an eye on how this all plays out...

I'm low-key shocked by this whole thing . I mean, Trump's been dodgy about his finances for years, but this is a whole new level. It's like he thought he was above the law or something . And what's really wild is that his administration is defending him, saying there's no suggestion of illegality... meanwhile, experts are calling BS .

I don't think this has anything to do with "smart investing" or making a savvy business move . This just smells like corruption and a lack of transparency. I'm not buying the White House's line that these mortgages came from the same lender - sounds like they're trying to cover their own tracks .

The fact that Trump himself is calling this behavior "deceitful" but refusing to admit his own wrongdoing is just rich . And what about all those other Republicans who might have been doing similar things? Why isn't there any accountability for them either?

This whole thing just makes me question how the system works and why people like Trump are able to get away with stuff like this .

oh man this is like a real-life game of Risk - who can get away with what? I mean seriously though, if you're gonna sign two mortgage documents saying you live in one place, but actually rent it out, that's some crazy stuff! Trump's got some 'splainin' to do. And let's be real, if he's making so much dough off these "investments", maybe he just didn't want to spend the cash on a house . Either way, I'm no expert, but it sounds like someone needs to dust off their old mortgage handbook and give Trump a serious reading .

OMG, like what's going on here?? Donald Trump rented out his own homes just months before calling out others for doing the same thing? That's some shady stuff right there! I'm all about being transparent with your finances and not hiding behind loopholes. And honestly, I'm surprised he didn't get caught sooner. The White House is trying to brush it off, but I think we should be keeping a closer eye on this one. Maybe the authorities will finally take action? Fingers crossed!

I'm not surprised by this news at all... I mean, who hasn't had a smart investment go south? But seriously, it does seem like a bit dodgy, especially when you consider the hypocrisy of his administration later on. It's like he was playing both sides, you know? The fact that he claimed to be living in those properties just to get loans is pretty shady. And now that we know, it's hard not to wonder how many other skeletons are hiding in his financial closet. I'm all for keeping an eye on Trump and making sure he's held accountable for his actions. After all, as the saying goes, you have to show your hand if you're playing with fire ...

I'm really surprised by this latest development. It seems like Donald Trump was pretty sneaky with his mortgage dealings back in the 90s . I mean, he signed two separate documents saying those properties were his primary residence, but we all know that's not true. He was just trying to make a smart investment and avoid paying too much interest, right? But at the same time, it's kinda shady how he didn't actually live in either of those houses for a whole year like he claimed.

I think it's interesting that Trump is calling his own behavior "deceitful and potentially criminal" . That just seems like him trying to spin the situation to make himself look better. But seriously, if we're gonna call out people for mortgage fraud, shouldn't they be held to the same standards? It's not like this is a new thing - lots of people do similar things in real estate all the time.

I'm curious to see what happens next with this investigation . If Trump does get investigated and maybe even charged, that would be huge. But if he gets off scot-free, then I think it just highlights how weak the system is when it comes to holding powerful people accountable .

omg can you believe this dude? he was literally renting out these houses as if they were Airbnb properties but called it a mortgage lol. so he got loans for two homes saying one would be his primary residence, but really he just used them to make some extra cash. I guess that's what they mean by "think big" right? the fact that his administration is calling out similar behavior as "mortgage fraud" but not him is just shady

I'm kinda shocked by this news to be honest, like what happened back in '93? I mean Trump got these mortgages saying he was gonna live there but then he just rented them out . I guess it's not that different from how Airbnb works now, right? But still, if he broke the rules or just played by his own rules, either way it's a bit fishy for me .

I don't really get why experts say proving intent is key in this case tho? Like isn't it clear what Trump did? And the fact that his admin said there was no suggestion of illegality just sounds like they're trying to cover their own backsides .

And can we talk about how weird it is that Democrats got hit for mortgage fraud but this doesn't seem to be going down that road? It's all a bit confusing, if you ask me...

this whole thing just smells like a smart investment to me. he essentially flipped those properties for cash, which is what all successful businesspeople do. it's not like he was hiding something or trying to scam anyone. the government's trying to paint him as some kind of villain, but really he's just playing the real estate game like everyone else. and let's be real, who hasn't rented out a property for a year at some point?