David Blake Knox: I watched Trump charm gamblers who had lost millions in his casinos - there's no doubting his gift with an audience

Twenty-five years ago, I travelled to a private airport in New York to make a film about Donald Trump for the BBC. He was considering running as a presidential candidate for the Reform Party: a "third force" in American politics that had been created by Ross Perot - another billionaire with designs on the White House.

Back then, I regarded Trump as an incorrigible self-publicist who had craved public attention throughout his life. He had appeared in TV shows such as Sex and the City and had played cameo roles in movies such as Home Alone 2.

He had performed on a Broadway stage and had even taken part in professional wrestling events, showcasing both his desire to be in the limelight and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Read at Independent