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Fact check: How much of the book's royalties did Tony Schwartz receive?
1. Summary of the results
The question of how much of the book's royalties Tony Schwartz received has been addressed by multiple analyses, with some sources suggesting that Tony Schwartz earned half of the book's royalties [1] [1] [2]. This is further supported by the fact that Trump offered Schwartz $250,000 up front to write 'The Art of the Deal,' as well as half the book's royalties, which Schwartz is still receiving today [3]. However, not all sources provide a specific percentage of royalties, with some mentioning that Tony Schwartz has donated several hundred thousand dollars from the book's proceeds to causes he believes Trump would hate, without specifying the exact percentage of royalties he receives [4] [1] [4].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
A key piece of missing context is the total amount of royalties generated by the book, which would provide a clearer understanding of the amount received by Tony Schwartz [5]. Additionally, some sources mention that Tony Schwartz has donated a significant portion of his royalties to charity, with one source stating that he donated $55,000 in royalties over the past six months [5], and another source mentioning that he donated $375,000 to causes he believes Trump would despise [1]. This suggests that Tony Schwartz's donations may be a significant portion of his overall royalties, but without more information on the total amount of royalties, it is difficult to determine the exact percentage. Furthermore, the fact that Trump and Schwartz had an agreement to split royalties from the sale of the book on a 50–50 basis [2] provides context to their business arrangement, but does not necessarily confirm the amount of royalties received by Schwartz.
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original statement asks how much of the book's royalties Tony Schwartz received, but does not provide any context about the book's sales or the total amount of royalties generated. This lack of context may lead to misinterpretation of the significance of Tony Schwartz's royalties, as some sources suggest that he has donated a substantial portion of his royalties to charity [5] [1]. Additionally, the fact that some sources do not provide a specific percentage of royalties [4] [1] [4] may be due to a lack of information or a deliberate attempt to withhold certain details, which could benefit Tony Schwartz or Donald Trump, depending on the context. Overall, the original statement may be incomplete or misleading, and a more nuanced understanding of the situation can be gained by considering the various analyses and sources [1] [1] [2].