5 mins

The Three Books Donald Trump Recommends Everyone Should Read

U.S. President and business mogul Donald Trump shares the books he believes are essential for success. Learn key insights from these reads in just 15 minutes or less.
by Daniel Thomas | 2025-01-19

The Books That Shaped Donald Trump’s Mindset

Reading is a powerful tool for self-improvement, business acumen, and strategic thinking. Few people embody this principle like President Trump. Known for his direct approach to leadership, negotiation, and branding, Trump has frequently shared books that have influenced his worldview.

From classic military strategy to insights on personal development and political thought, his book recommendations offer a glimpse into the principles that shaped his approach to business and politics. These books provide lessons on leadership, perseverance, and the art of winning.

Blinkist: A Tool for Lifelong Learning

Blinkist, the knowledge app ranked by Apple as one of the top apps for lifelong learning, has distilled the key insights from Trump’s must-read books. Let’s dive into five books that he recommends and discover what makes them essential reading.

Donald Trump’s Top 3 Must-Read Books

  1. Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us By Donald Trump Jr.

    Triggered

    Triggered


    by Donald Trump Jr.
    1. 19 min reading time
    2. audio version available

    Donald Trump Jr.’s Triggered takes a direct approach to modern politics, arguing that political correctness and media bias have stifled open debate. He shares personal stories from his life, including growing up in the Trump family, navigating the political landscape, and standing up against censorship. If you’re looking for an unapologetic take on contemporary politics and free speech, this book is a must-read. “A great new book that I highly recommend for ALL to read. Go order it today!” –Donald Trump on X Get the key ideas on Blinkist in just 15 minutes.

  2. Talent Is Overrated By Geoff Colvin ⁠

    Talent is Overrated

    Talent is Overrated


    by Geoff Colvin
    1. 21 min reading time
    2. audio version available

    This book explores the idea that talent alone doesn’t lead to success—deliberate practice and effort do. Colvin examines the habits and mindsets of top performers in various fields, from Mozart to Tiger Woods, proving that greatness comes from persistence and training rather than innate ability. Donald Trump himself praised the book, stating: “Geoff Colvin has written a fascinating study of great achievers from Mozart to Tiger Woods, and he has brilliantly highlighted the fact that great effort equals great success. I agree, and Talent Is Overrated is not only inspiring but enlightening. It’s a terrific read all the way through.” Get the key ideas on Blinkist in just 22 minutes.

  3. The Art of War By Sun-Tzu

    The Art of War (new version)

    The Art of War (new version)


    by Sun Tzu
    1. 11 min reading time
    2. audio version available

    ⁠A staple in business and military strategy, The Art of War has been a guiding influence for leaders across generations. Trump himself recommends this book in Trump 101: The Way to Success, highlighting its teachings on competition, strategic advantage, and the importance of planning ahead. From understanding when to engage in conflict to knowing when to step back, Sun-Tzu’s lessons are applicable to business negotiations, politics, and even personal development. Get the key ideas on Blinkist in just 17 minutes.

Get Insights From the Smartest People in the World

Want to read all of these books but don’t have the time between your job, the gym, and your social life? Find the knowledge you need, faster and easier, with Blinkist. This award-winning app breaks down densely packed non-fiction books into their core ideas for quick comprehension – giving you all the information you need in 15 minutes or less!

Get inspired and stay ahead of the competition by starting with one of the 6,500 titles in the 27 available categories. Whether you are interested in finding out more about human psychology or understanding the best productivity methods: the app has got you covered.

With the app, you can not only unlock the world’s best non-fiction books but also the collective wisdom of some of our world’s most innovative thinkers. Collections curated by people like Tim Ferriss and Elon Musk are all available for you to gain insight into revolutionary ideas that will help shape and change your future.

Blinkist has collections from the world’s CEOs, business leaders, and top thinkers.

The Learning Tool Made With On-The-Go Learners in Mind

Thanks to its audio function, it’s now easy for everyone to get in a few lessons wherever they may be. Listen to the explainers anywhere, anytime, and on any device. Blinkist made learning new information more accessible for you so you can listen to it, no matter if you’re commuting, at the gym, or cooking.

“As a wife, a mom of three, and a full-time entrepreneur, I yearn for some time to read for both personal and professional reasons. Blinkist is my car companion and pre-sleep friend! I love it.” –Oula Farawati, Co-founder & CEO

Millions of People Read More Thanks to This App

With more than 30 million users, Blinkist is one of the most popular apps for professionals who are interested in learning more about the complexity of today’s world. It’s clear that users are satisfied as it currently has a 4.8-star rating. Just have a look at what some of the 90,000 5-star reviews had to say:

“Most effective use of my time. Blinkist allows me to fill in the gaps during a hectic week and still absorb content that has allowed me to grow as a person, and therefore teach others how to grow.” –iOS 5 Star review

According to Apple, This Is One of the Best Apps for Lifelong Learning

In addition to being named one of the best apps in the world by Apple, Blinkist has also been ranked in the top 20 apps for lifelong learning. It was also featured as the “App of the Day” on the App Store more than 500 times.

Next to Apple, Blinkist has received some of the highest honors, including awards from the UN for its contribution to the education field, and from Google, for its unique design. The app has also been praised by some of the biggest names in the industry, including Tim Cook who visited the employees in Berlin, as well as the New York Times.

Conclusion

Don’t have time to read Donald Trump’s favorite books? Read or listen to the explainers on the award-winning knowledge app Blinkist. Blinkist explainers already help 30 million users learn new information 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you get the most important points in the book via “Key Ideas”
  • Cutting out the fluff: the expert curators of Blinkist have cut out all of the unnecessary details and information and only present you with the information most relevant to the topic.
  • And by being quick: You can get most of the key ideas in about 15 minutes or less.

Start learning from Donald Trump’s recommended books and take Blinkist for a test drive today. Download it for free on the App or Google Play Store.

Daniel Thomas
About the writer
Daniel Thomas

Daniel is a passionate writer from Germany. When not writing or reading, he’s either riding motorcycles, playing the guitar or getting lost discovering his home country.

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What is Blinkist?

Blinkist is an app that transforms key insights from great nonfiction books into quick, easy-to-understand highlights. The reality is – everyone loves reading, but no one has the time. Blinkist fills this learning gap and makes acquiring new knowledge effortless.

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