How much is Donald Trump worth?

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Those who say Donald Trump isn't serious about running for president often point to the fact that candidates have to file a disclosure form revealing their personal finances. The Donald, they say, would never be willing to give that information up.

They've got some evidence to support that theory. In 2005, New York Times reporter Timothy O'Brien wrote in a book called "TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald" that the developer was worth somewhere between $150 million and $250 million - far less than Trump claimed.

Trump responded with a lawsuit. In the deposition, from which CNN has posted excerpts, he called himself a "billionaire, many times over, on a conservative basis."

Trump declined to put a number on his net worth, saying it "goes up and down with the markets and with attitudes and with feelings, even my own feelings."

Last month, Forbes magazine put Trump's net worth at $2.7 billion. He subsequently told Candy Crowley that in reality "it's much more than that," adding, "I think people will be extremely impressed." In 2007, Trump estimated his net worth at more than $4 billion, which he called "a very conservative number." (Considering his brand value, he suggested, he was really worth closer to $6 billion.) In 2009, he put his net worth at $5 billion in a Wall Street Journal interview, a figure he said did not include brand value. (Though it's hard to quantify, there is some legitimacy to his brand value claims: He leases his name to properties that he does not own in exchange for a licensing fee.)

Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action conference (CPAC), on February 10, 2011 in Washington, DC.

/ Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Sources told Politico earlier this week that Trump is worth $7 billion, with one saying "his net worth is in excess of $7 billion with more than $250 million of cash, and very little debt. He is very, very liquid."

If Trump does file as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission, he will have to file detailed financial statements within 30 days - unless he applies for and is given up to two 45-day extensions, which are granted when an individual is said to have "good cause." That means Trump could potentially become a candidate and stay in the race for months without ever showing his financial records.

Since Trump has an incentive to inflate his financial success - the notion that he is exceedingly wealthy is integral to the Trump brand, after all - a disclosure offers an opportunity to silence those who say he has overstated his worth. If he opts not to run or drops out before filing, however, it will only increase the speculation that he isn't worth as much as he claims to be. (CNN ran a segment Thursday documenting Trump's "misstatements" about his properties.)

Trump told Time he looks forward to the chance to show his financial records, "because they are huge." He cast them as "[f]ar bigger than anyone knows. Far bigger than anyone would understand." He also said recently that he is worth "many, many, many times" as much as potential rival Mitt Romney, who disclosed in the 2008 cycle that his net worth is up to $250 million.

Michael Cohen, Trump's chief political adviser and an executive at The Trump Organization, told Hotsheet he did not know Trump's exact net worth, having not been provided with financial records. But he said he is confident the number is impressive.

"Mr. Trump has said on many occasions that if he elects to run, he looks forward to releasing his financials because they are significantly higher than the Forbes estimate, contain an enormous amount of cash, and a company that has very low debt," said Cohen. "One thing that I do know: He's rich."

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Donald Trump in pictures

[USA82484]

it's not important wither a candidate is rich or poor,and it does not matter a candidate tried to lie something or not,because all candidates always lie about some. but, it is important is that America do need a successful business man to bring America back to its feet.Donald Trump might have problem at home,but i think he can deal with China better than Obama.

[jackp32]

He sure beats my net worth of $1,000.

[brian_norwood]

To me, he's worth a million laughs! That this egomaniacal jackass thought he could be taken seriously as a Presidential candidate is the funniest thing coming from the GOP since Sarah Palin.

[MurdochSucks]

Even more hilarious is that many in the party think he is a viable candidate! I think he is just trying to raise some money for his empire while stroking his dirty ego at the same time.

[crazyname]

Who cares, non of our business. Long weekend, slow news I guess, multiple articles about the lady shot, anti Trump articles, and anti republican articles. Who can call this media non-biased with a straight face. remember Dan Rather. The bad thing is ABC and NBC are probably worse. What keeps these rags in business? Omama Money? Democratic war chests? Our president/king is running this country into the ground, lying all the way, and these people attack teh right and do the democratic blame game.

[simpleconservative]

Krj9 the still was fine. The main point here is that we need someone in charge who knows how to make and enforce a deal and has a general concept of the number of dollars involved in each and every deal. for your personal edification, conservatism is a very simple set of rules and guidelines. Many times in life it is very unnecessary to complicate matters in the fashion of well educated idiots!

[wfw3536]

I could really care less. I am more concern3e about our do nothing administration in regards to jobs, the deficit, the cost of food and gas, and Obama not keeping his promises. When is the media going start report on this?

[thanksgreed]

court jesters have been long highly valued in royal courts...

[tsigili]

It doesn't matter. NO ONE gets elected to office in this country, that is NOT a member of the wealthy and powerful. Period.

[thanksgreed]

and the "powers that be" made darned sure it stays that way...

[simpleconservative]

If he has retained one dollar his "Earned net worth" is greater than President Obama's. The real issue here is competence, he has some and our current President has none!

[krj9]

:Simpleconservative" What a simple comment. I guess the simple in your name fits. Now go check the still

[slatep]

If Donald Trump decides to run for President and is required to disclose how much he is worth monetarily, every other politician should be required to disclose how much they are worth.

This disclosure should include all the "campaign contributions" made by major corporations, drug companies and oil companies etc. to buy their votes.

[bilrobi1]

I agree. However a mostly conservative U.S. Supreme Courts ruled last year that anybody can contribute as much as they want. That includes major corporations. I could be wrong but I don't think the candidates have to disclose the origins of their contributions.