17 Secret Truths About Donald Trump Revealed By His Longtime Butler

The New York Times did an interview recently with Donald Trump’s longtime butler, 74-year-old Anthony Senecal. Here’s 17 insider secrets he revealed about what it’s like to work directly for Donald Trump at his Florida mansion (Mar-a-Lago) for thirty years.

1. Trump Likes His Steak Well Done

“It would rock on the plate, it was so well done”

2. Trump Insists On Doing His Own Hair

This explains so, so much.

3. Trump Likes To Be Greeted Like Royalty And Has A Sense Of Humor

Mr. Senecal knows how to stroke his ego and lift his spirits, like the time years ago he received an urgent warning from Mr. Trump’s soon-to-land plane that the mogul was in a sour mood. Mr. Senecal quickly hired a bugler to play “Hail to the Chief” as Mr. Trump stepped out of his limousine to enter Mar-a-Lago.

4. Trump Only Sleeps Four Hours, Like Batman

The next morning, before dawn and after about four hours’ sleep, Mr. Trump would meet him at the arched entrance of his private quarters to accept a bundle of newspapers including The New York Times, The Daily News, The New York Post and the Palm Beach papers.

5. Red Hat, Bad. White Hat, Good.

Trump announces his mood to his staff by his choice of hat every day.

6. Trump Won’t Let Senecal Retire

This is what Trump said when Senecal tried “Tony, to retire is to expire. I’ll see you next season.” Senecal is now the mansion’s historian.

7. Trump Is Guilty Of “Self Soothing” Exaggerations

Trump has some nursery rhyme themed tiles in what used to be his daughter’s room. He used to tell guests they were made by a young Walt Disney. They were not.

8. Senecal Lies To Trump Sometimes About Golf

“Tony, how far is that?” Mr. Trump would ask.

“It’s like 275 yards,” Mr. Senecal would respond, though he said the actual distance was 225 yards.

9. Trump Is Known To Give Gardeners 100 Dollar Bills

He does this just because he thinks they’re working hard. Senecal says that people love him and not just because he’s known to cough up Franklins.

10. Trump Hates Airplanes Going Over His Mansion

In fact, he’s sued the local county airport because of it.

11. Trump’s Mansion Staff Is Mostly Foreign

Romanians, South Africans, and Irishmen, apparently.

12. Trump’s Dad Once Made Senecal Go On His Hands And Knees For A Penny

It was a “crusty” penny too.

13. Donald’s Dad Had Incredible Eyes

Senecal says Donald has incredible eyes too.

14. Trump Turned The Family Library Into A Bar

Even stranger considering Trump doesn’t drink (also like Batman). The library used to be filled with first edition books that Senecal says no one ever read. When Trump took over the mansion he replaced it with a bar complete with a painting of himself in tennis whites.

15. Senecal Required Beggers In West Virginia To Be Licensed Beggers

This was while Senecal was a mayor in West Virginia which he did on sabbatical from Trump’s employ in 1990. Trump wrote Senecal a note telling him he thought it was “great.”

16. Maya Angelou’s 80th Birthday Party Was Held At Trump’s Mansion

Specifically it was held in the ballroom and Oprah Winfrey is the one that threw the party. Trump apparently attended the party and loved it.

17. Senecal Trolls The Mansion’s Staff

This month when Trump came downstairs to go golfing, Senecal announced “all rise.” They all rose.