We can thank the fact that Neptune is in its own sign of Pisces, sowing confusion and distrust as well as floods and conspiracy theories, for the fact that everything is subject to suspicion. I do think it’s rather ironic that after years of promotion by Donald Trump of the idea that Barack Obama had presented a fake birth certificate, some astrologers are now suspicious of whether or not Donald Trump himself has doctored his own birth certificate.
The controversy seems to have begun with an article by Christine Arends in the Kepler College newsletter suggesting that astrologers failed to predict a Trump win because they were using the wrong chart. (It should be noted that this prediction failure was also blamed on the lack of a reliable birth time for Hilary Clinton). She goes on to describe a hunt for the correct birth time for Donald Trump which seems to be based mostly on rumors and rectifications.
Obviously, accurate birth times are of supreme importance when doing any kind of astrological analysis. Often we are unable to ascertain a birth time, but in those cases we don’t rely on information that a birth time would provide. I went on a hunt for the truth and was pointed to this article by Frank Clifford. Frank is an astrologer who assisted the famed Lois Rodden in her data collection work in the 1990s, and his collections are used by the eminent astrology software Solar Fire.
Frank reports:
In April 1992, Lois Rodden’s ‘Data News’ (Issue 34) published the following: ‘Finally we have data for The Donald! I am reluctant to say “private source” as that is so ambiguous as to mean nothing. However in this case I have to say that I accept the reliability of my source but cannot divulge it. The story is that he laughed at the question and then called his mother to ask what time he was born.’
Lois gave the data as 14 June 1946, 9:51 am EDT, Queens, NY. The time gives 17° Leo rising. I presume he only gave the birth time; the date and place probably came from various published information about Trump. (I have a copy of this issue of ‘Data News’ in my library.) From this date forward, astrologers such as Lois Rodden and Lynne Palmer used this birth time when writing about the businessman in their books
Birth certificates can certainly be incorrect, but they are usually more trustworthy than rumors and rectification. Under any kind of Neptune influence we look for the most convoluted of connections, but the theory known as Occam’s Razor proposes that the most obvious answer is usually the correct one. In this case, a published birth certificate for Donald J. Trump is almost certainly a reliable source of a birth time.
It’s tempting to blame our inability to predict the future on data, rather than in the fact that the future cannot be reliably predicted. The future is not set in stone – it’s an elastic reality that changes as we humans change and evolve and re-create our journey. Astrology provides an accurate weather report, describing the types of energies at work in the lives of individuals, nations, and the global community. But what we do with these energies is always up to us.
Good Morning!
I’m a bit confused by the information you have written today about DJT’s birth certificate. You imply that Lois Rodden’ research is correct, but the certificate states the birth was at 10:54 am rather than 9:51.
Of course, he was born before daylight savings time,
Thank you for your anticipated clarification
Hi Kristy, I don’t believe that I implied Lois Rodden’s research was correct – that birth time from 1992 was based on something that she heard through what she thought to be a reliable source. But after the birth certificate was published to the press, Rodden’s data was deemed to no longer be correct. That is what I referred to as rumor vs birth certificate. I hope that helps? If you read through Frank’s article it may make more sense.
Thank you, Lynn, for parsing this out for me.
Stay well!
It’s interesting that in Libra which should be a trine for Trump but it’s also the sign of justice- the scales and balance that he would get Covid-19. Why not when Virgo was squaring his Sun? Also him being a 3rd Decanate Gemini ( the Uranian/Aquarius decanate like my abusive late Father born June 17th but in 1926) those people are loose cannons and seem to be mean. Will you be discussing why Libra isn’t favoring him and that 3rd decanate for him? Also let’s give hope and best wishes that soon President Jimmy Carter will be 96! on October 5th ! Many Years! We and the WORLD needs his true Libra spirit out there. Thank you for your article
Thanks Patricia. I’m not sure what you mean about Virgo squaring his Sun, signs don’t form aspects to planets. But in any case I don’t work with decanates so won’t be discussing this any time soon!
Hi Patricia, I had heard that Jimmy Carter was a Leo back in the day … so after reading what you had written I just Googled his date of birth and it came up Jimmy Carter/Date of birth
October 1, 1924
age 96 years
No biggie, I wish him a blessed birthday too!
I apologize for the wrong day; I am thrilled that he had this significant birthday; in Chinese astrology he made his Rat year ( this is the year of the Rat).
He is indeed a blessing to us all. Thank you for correcting me. Blessings.
I know of only two astrologers that predicted that Trump would win in the last Presidential election. One was clearly a conservative that also said his progressed natal chart would be even stronger for his second term. The other gentleman is a gay astrologer living in Tennessee. I’ve had several sessions with him, he is amazing and as you guessed he is a liberal, but really knows his astrology. Some of the other astrologers admitted that they could not get past their own personal liberal bias, I have lost faith in them, but continue to use Steve, as he did not side with his personal bias and simply read the potentials and as you said they are just the most likely potentials and therefore open to filters and biases.
I don’t make predictions, but I did say that it was likely Trump would win because we were headed into the Pluto return.
Dear Lynn Hayes
You said that you had thought that Trump would win. Which chart or birth time did you use to? The one that Lynn Palmer uses for Trump, the 9:51 PM EDT? Thank You.
I used the birth certificate chart which was released during the 2016 election cycle. You can read more about that here. https://www.lynnhayes.com/happy-birthday-donald-2016-trump-update/
Thank you. I meant to say that Virgo as a Sun sign squares his Gemini Sun sign. That should be different than Libra which is a trine to Gemini.
Although as both ( Gemini and Virgo) are ruled by Mercury would you say that there is less damage done by the squaring aspect because of this?
Are trines, squares and oppositions really as important as they say? That’s what I meant. Again, thank you.
Well yes, all of those aspects are important, but solar aspects (from the Sun to a planet in our natal chart) are not that important and certainly wouldn’t bring on a significant illness. They last for just a day or so. You may want to start watching my weekly forecasts where I discuss the aspects for each day which include the solar and lunar aspects.
Great! I shall be reading more here and listening too as you’re likely to have a recording of a reading. Thank you and I apologize for using the October 5th date for President Carter. Many YEARS to him! We need him as a force for good and hope as an example of a President with character.
[…] Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn all within range of a trine to his Midheaven or career point (using the 10:54 am birth certificate time). Many astrologers would see that as virtually guaranteeing a second term. These Capricorn […]