Donald Trump will fight you in court if you call him 'The Donald'


Donald Trump has claimed that being called "The Donald" is really no big deal. "I don't mind that it stuck," he told The Washington Post last September. "I think it's an endearment." He's fine. Everything is fine.
But in 1990, an Eastern Airlines employee named Charles Beattie sued Trump after being fired from the company once Trump purchased it and renamed it Trump Shuttle, The Washington Post discovered. During that lawsuit, Beattie repeatedly called Trump "The Donald": "The Donald is reputed to be a very rich man," as one example.
Trump's lawyers responded with a filing that took issue with Beattie's usage, claiming "there is absolutely no basis for plaintiff to create a circus atmosphere in this Court by referring to Mr. Trump as 'The Donald'…Such allegations, which make Mr. Trump appear as a caricature of cartoon-like proportions, are simply unnecessary." Another filing revealed that being called "The Donald" made Trump "uncomfortable."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In the 2016 election, some have argued that Trump is "thin-skinned," a case that appears to only be supported by his strong adversity to his nickname. Nevertheless, Trump has maintained he has "very strong, very thick skin."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star program
speed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
-
Supreme Court allows transgender troop ban
speed read The US Supreme Court will let the Trump administration begin executing its ban on transgender military service members
-
'You might be surprised by how much you find yourself cheering for them'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia