Born in Lipovăț, Vaslui County, Trofin had an early career as a mechanical fitter and boilermaker, and joined the Romanian Communist Party in 1945.

[6] In the Great National Assembly, Trofin represented Podu Turcului, Bacău County from 1957 to 1965, Gherla from 1965 to 1969, Pitești from 1969 to 1975, Brașov from 1975 to 1980, and Târgu Jiu from 1980 to November 1981.

[7] His influence in the government increased due to his work in eliminating the primary obstacle to Nicolae Ceaușescu's rise to power, Gheorghe Apostol (during which time he joined the Politburo and Central Committee).

[1] In Victor Frunză's view, the charge was actually a cover-up for Ceaușescu's own mismanagement of the mining industry (before and after the Jiu Valley miners' strike of 1977).

[13] The son, a prosecutor, was married from 1979 to 1982 to fashion model Melek Amet; his daughter became an actress at the Odeon Theatre (Giulești).