Who is the richest U.S. president ever?
CBSN
Some of the earliest U.S. presidents were also the wealthiest when they entered office. In the modern era, U.S. presidents typically amass the bulk of their wealth through media deals and appearance fees, after they leave office.
Former President Trump, however, is among the wealthiest Americans ever to serve as president of the United States, with an estimated overall net worth of $3.7 billion at the time of his inauguration in 2016, according to Forbes. He's an outlier, though, according to presidential historian Barbara A. Perry, who notes that most "presidents after the Civil War were not wealthy business people, they didn't come from money."
As examples, she referred to Bill Clinton, the 42nd U.S. President, and Barack Obama, the 44th president, neither of whom came from money, or had much personal wealth when they entered office.
