Thomas Barrack “too rich” to be Trump’s chief of staff

The billionaire real estate mogul turned down the job, a new tell-all claims

Thomas Barrack and Donald Trump (Art by Erica Press for<em> The Real Deal</em>) (Credit: Getty Images, Gage Skidmore, Pixabay, Max Pixel)
Thomas Barrack and Donald Trump (Art by Erica Press for The Real Deal) (Credit: Getty Images, Gage Skidmore, Pixabay, Max Pixel)

From TRD LA: Billionaire Colony NorthStar head Thomas Barrack could have been Donald Trump’s chief of staff, but turned down the job because he was “just too rich” and didn’t want to raise his profile any further, a new tell-all claims.

The real estate mogul and longtime friend of the commander-in-chief was offered the gig by Trump but declined — saying it would drag his personal life into the spotlight and likely force him to untangle several of his business interests, including some in the Middle East, according to a Bloomberg report on Michael Wolff’s much-buzzed-about new book, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.”

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The book also says that Barrack called Trump crazy and stupid, but Barrack denied the statements and said Wolff did not interview him for the book.

The 70-year-old Barrack, who has known Trump for decades, made his wealth through real estate and investments in distressed assets. He sold his Santa Monica mansion on San Vicente Boulevard for $34 million last year.  [Bloomberg] – Eddie Small