For decades, one detail about Donald Trump has quietly stood out among the many headlines surrounding him: he says he has never had a drop of alcohol.

In interviews, speeches, and casual conversations over the years, the former president has repeated the claim consistently. While critics and supporters often debate his policies, business dealings, or political rhetoric, this personal habit has remained one of the few aspects of his life that has rarely changed.

The reason behind it, Trump says, is deeply personal.

To understand the choice, he often points back to his older brother, Fred Trump Jr. Unlike Donald, Fred initially followed a different path from the family’s real estate business. He pursued aviation and worked as a pilot, a career that once seemed full of promise.

But according to Trump, his brother struggled with alcohol for years. The addiction eventually affected his health and career, leaving a lasting impact on the entire family.

Fred Trump Jr. died in 1981 at the age of 43.

Donald Trump has frequently described the loss as a turning point in how he viewed alcohol. In interviews, he has said watching his brother’s struggle convinced him early in life that drinking was not something he ever wanted to risk.

“He had a problem with alcohol,” Trump said during one public appearance. “And I learned from that.”

The experience, he has explained, left a powerful impression during his formative years. While many social and business environments revolve around drinking, Trump says he simply chose not to participate.

Instead, he became known for ordering soda or other non-alcoholic drinks at events where others were raising glasses.

Friends and associates who worked with him in New York during the 1980s and 1990s have often confirmed that pattern. Even in settings where alcohol was abundant — charity galas, business dinners, or celebrity gatherings — Trump typically stuck to soft drinks.