new york donald trump often say like winners tell one grand tale loss 1990 nearly go bankrupt force ask dozens bank owe money change term loan forgive debts real estate developer admit 1997 book art comeback dark period professional life tell story redemption resilience proof exceptional negotiate skills shrewd think six people participate loan workout negotiations different recollection raise question key part personal narrative many trump supporters find compel campaign next president unite state nov. 8. campaign trail portray survivor master negotiator trump say comeback begin recognize downturn real estate market quickly ask bank renegotiate loan decision perhaps smart thing write six bankers lawyers involve talk say bailout base overture trump initiate bank term deal dictate best bank trump three participants say trump acknowledge problem lenders review book realize brink collapse summon debt restructure talk much write trump financial trouble time little examination description bank negotiations art comeback include assertion choose initiate talk trump spokeswoman hope hicks decline comment story follow u.s. stock market crash 1987 global recession hit new york real estate new construction stall several big developers declare bankruptcy real estate market slump trump run cash begin 1990 owe combine billion 70 bank 800 million personally guarantee assets accord alan pomerantz lawyer whose team lead negotiations trump 72 bank restructure trump loan pomerantz hire citibank become lead counsel negotiations time trump consider major developer new york celebrity affair actress marla maples divorce first wife ivana trump make national news headline first book art deal bestseller large portfolio real estate new york notable exceptions 5th avenue build trump tower complete 1983 plaza hotel buy 1988 borrow heavily citibank also own three casinos atlantic city make financial bet could revive east coast gamble destination 1989 add part airline portfolio turn citibank loan help finance acquisition bankrupt eastern airlines shuttle turn trump shuttle 1989 response grow concern economic downturn federal reserve begin ask big bank review exposure sink real estate market begin 1990 credit specialist one trump big lenders decide take look bank book loan decision prompt part feed question well concern within bank exposure real estate market credit specialist want identify conclude time trump go bankruptcy bank onto problem onto problem specialist tell reuters pomerantz say bank become aware magnitude trump financial problems single day draw every cent 100 million line credit one bank banker trust purchase deutsche bank 1999 give meet obligations reuters unable independently confirm come bank say problem happen say pomerantz pomerantz say member political party argue opinion piece wall street journal trump record real estate good way measure whether would good president art comeback trump say begin loan workout talk march 1990 inform bankers might miss payment casino debts wait six months long renegotiate term bank might lose everything write would stand line whole bunch moguls try thing soon boardrooms bank law firm around manhattan trump deputies lawyers begin series meet representatives 72 bank billions outstanding loan accord pomerantz period trump separately renegotiate series loan atlantic city casinos one bankers involve negotiations ben berzin say trump seem unaware depths financial trouble even bank step period negotiations still spend money like drunken sailor berzin say recall uproar among bankers tv interview summer 1991 trump display large diamond engagement ring give maples media report say ring cost 250,000 pomerantz say bankers complain trump next meet one point trump invite bankers broadway show maples role accord berzin banker take part large talk 72 bank say believe trump try curry favor win good term workouts berzin attend show banker trump describe berzin art comeback jerk would scream people top lungs nonsense berzin say irritate trump characterization deny ever raise voice meet book trump say tell representatives 72 bank would declare bankruptcy tie guy years proceed unless stake 65 million keep businesses run real estate market recover also want agree defer loan payments time bank capitulate enthusiastically agree proposal trump write bankers lawyers interview dispute though true personal bankruptcy would make hard bank collect trump owe little leverage talk say would seriously hurt bankruptcy especially since personally guarantee much borrow pomerantz analysis would able hold little else beyond home pension plan 18-month process negotiations asset sales trump also ask time develop business ideas like plan turn hotel room plaza hotel condominiums accord one bankers decline identify proposal veto receive 450,000-a-month allowance bank keep business operations go structure execute bank term several negotiators say bank decide could recover billion collectively owe sell trump hold one one wait market recover rather take possession assets four participants talk say individuals say bank agree forgive trump personal liabilities exchange help sell properties proceed sales would split among bank trump agree bank could take away personal property include beloved florida estate mar-a-lago fail execute agreement sure would pay attention pomerantz say liens trump personal hold would meet every friday morning strict restrictions bank trump work bankers sell assets even disagree time sales notably citibank eventually sell plaza bank recover 100 percent owe several lenders vow never work trump art spin trump bankers question portrayal financial comeback