Trump University: One of the many fraudulent schemes contrived by the President to steal money

Photo: The Young Turks

It is no secret that Donald Trump is a selfish, power-hungry, money-obsessed, egotistical asshole, so it makes sense that he created a for-profit seminar company that preyed on the elderly to swindle money from without giving any real results.

This is not a new thing to come out by any means, but it is important to remember when thinking about the election. The “university” began in 2005 and mainly focused on online seminars related to making money in real estate. The program quickly shifted to in-person seminars and mentorships. Many participants complained that it was more of a sales pitch than an academic lesson.

Participants were told to increase their credit limits and were constantly being pitched on the more expensive packages, some of which cost $35,000. It seems like the majority of these seminars were on trying to get the participants to spend more money on the program rather than the mentors teaching them anything about real estate.

In fact, almost none of the employees were even qualified in real estate. They were described as unqualified instructors using high-pressure sales tactics to garner more money. Trump did not employ people experienced in real estate, his simply employed salespeople that would be able to push for more money from the participants. Three of the instructors have actually filed for bankruptcy before and one was a famous motivational speaker with no experience in real estate.

Trump University has been hit with many lawsuits and complaints over the years. The former Attorney General in New York filed a lawsuit against them in 2013 over the use of “university”, as that is illegal. The AG, Eric Schneiderman, cited the organization as a fraudulent attempt to make money from eager students.

In 2016, Donald Trump finally agreed to a $25 million settlement over Trump University. This deal makes it clear that this venture was fraudulent, whether Trump outright admits it or not. This is the type of person we elected as the leader of the free world. A man that tricks and fools people so that he can make a quick buck. His greatest trick so far was convincing America to let him be the president.

Business Insider. “What Trump University Was Really Like, According To A Former Professor.” YouTube, 17 Apr. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0mzeGaMDH8. Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

Cassidy, John. “Trump University: It’s Worse Than You Think.” The New Yorker, 2 June 2016, www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/trump-university-its-worse-than-you-think. Accessed 13 May 2020.

Eder, Steve. “Donald Trump Agrees to Pay $25 Million in Trump University Settlement.” The New York Times, 18 Nov. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/us/politics/trump-university.html. Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

Hafner, Josh Hafner and Josh. “Judge Finalizes $25 Million Trump University Settlement for Students of ‘Sham University.’” USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/04/10/trump-university-settlement-judge-finalized/502387002/. Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

MSNBC. “New York Attorney General On Trump University: This Is A ‘Fraud Case’ | Morning Joe | MSNBC.” YouTube, 2 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUaMFVDV9PQ&list=PLyuhwSy6uy0RvQ6wxZqvnKXMK8ifNdJZz&index=10. Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.

Winter, Tom, and Dartunorro Clark. “Federal Court Approves $25 Million Trump University Settlement.” NBC News, 6 Feb. 2018, www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/federal-court-approves-25-million-trump-university-settlement-n845181. Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.