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President John F. Kennedy smokes a cigar during a Democratic fundraising dinner at the Commonwealth Armory at Boston University.
- Campaigning to to be US president is an expensive business, and the challenge has drawn candidates with vast fortunes.
- US presidential contenders derived their wealth from landowning in the early days of the nation, while recent candidates got rich from technology, oil and inheritance.
- The wealthiest presidential candidate in history was Ross Perot, who unsuccessfully stood as a third-party candidate in 1992 and 1996, and was worth $3.5 billion.
- Incumbent Donald Trump is the richest president in history, with his net worth estimated at $3 billion. He has claimed the figure is larger.
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When campaigning for the presidency, candidates will often try to convey a down-home image meant to appeal to ordinary Americans.
But building a political career and running for president is an expensive business, and those who take the challenge often have at their disposals fortunes beyond the reach of most people.
Below, Business Insider looks at some of the richest people ever to run for the White House.