FIRST-RATE, TOP-NOTCH FLOP Trump

Donald Trump is turning out to be about as successful in the magazine business as he was in casinos—in other words, not very.

Trump, the quarterly lifestyle magazine he publishes through a licensing arrangement, is on the verge of financial meltdown, according to sources. "They owe money to everybody and are being sued every which way," says one insider. Another source claims the title will likely go on hiatus unless Trump or some other backer comes to the rescue with additional financing. "Will Donald come in and help reinvigorate it with some personal funds? It's all a matter of timing," adds the source.

Trump has been around since 2004, when it was launched as Trump World. Last year, Premiere Publishing Group, which has a five-year licensing deal with Donald Trump, went public. Since then, its staff has dwindled from around 25 to fewer than 10. Among the refugees is editorial director Aaron Sigmond, who left in March. Sigmond says he and Premiere CEO Michael Jacobson "are longtime friends and remain so. I wish him and his company the very best."

Jacobson did not respond to a call for comment; nor did Trump. Each holds a 14.6 percent stake in Premiere, which had incurred net losses of $5.6 million as of the end of last year, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under the terms of his contract, Trump is also supposed to receive a $135,000 royalty payment for each issue of Trump that gets published. Considering how much of his income seems to come from cheesy licensing deals these days, we're sure he's anxious to keep getting those checks.

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