One cannot fully understand the phenomenon known as Donald J. Trump without first delving into the character of his father, Fred Trump, Sr. (1905-1999). Harry Hurt III recalled running into Fred Trump at a Nathan’s hot dog stand on Coney Island. Donald was taking a flight to somewhere at the time, and Hurt and his assistant overheard Fred say, “I hope his plane crashes.” Hurt told his researcher, “That’s my man. That’s Fred. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Fred Trump, Sr. was no one’s image of a loving father. He would tell his offspring, “You’re a killer, you’re a king,” instructing them to never give up, never bog down, drive yourself hard. This was, as Michael D’Antonio tells it, “fatherly love in the Trump universe,” which he found to be disturbing. Major Dobias of the New York Military Academy where Donald was sent during his high school years described Fred Trump as “very German,” by which he meant very tough, demanding, and cold. Kids who attended school with Donald and Fred Trump, Jr. said that Fred Sr. was a terror. Even now, Donald Trump doesn’t use any other word to describe his father other than “tough.”

Then there was Fred Trump, Jr. — “Freddy,” the black sheep of the family.