'SUPER GENIUS'
Donald Trump boasts about Wharton School degree on debate stage – but mystery still surrounds his attendance
Trump's lawyers threatened his previous schools in 2015
FOR years Donald Trump has bragged about his alma mater, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, however, questions still linger about his presence at the Ivy League institution.
The former president boasted about the school while facing Vice President Kamala Harris for their first debate since she became the nominee for the Democratic Party.
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"I went to the Wharton School of Finance and many of those professors think my plan is a brilliant plan," Trump said while discussing his economic policies.
"It's a great plan."
Trump said his plans would bring up America's worth and value as a country.
Harris brought up the school while talking about the fiscal dangers posed by a second Trump term.
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"What I'm offering is an opportunity economy, and the best economists in the country — if not in the world — have reviewed our relative plans for the future of America," she said.
"What Goldman Sachs has said is that Donald Trump would make the economy worse. Mine would strengthen the economy."
She continued, "What the Wharton School said is Donald Trump's plan would actually explode the deficit. Sixteen Nobel Laureates described his economic plan as something that would increase inflation by the middle of next year and would invite a recession."
'NOT VERY DIFFICULT'
In 1964, Trump attended Fordham University in the Bronx, New York, but he transferred to the Wharton School two years later.
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He graduated in May 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in economics.
In the decades since, Trump has touted his attendance at the school, then known as the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, as proof of his intelligence.
Donald Trump’s five most outrageous moments from the Presidential debate
He has often called it "the hardest school to get into, the best school in the world," describing it as "super genius stuff."
However, Trump has never released records showing how he got into the school or his academic performance while there.
James Nolan, who worked at the University of Pennsylvania's admissions office in 1966, told a detailed account of Trump's admission process.
Nolan told the outlet in 2019 that he was "sure" the Trump family hoped he would attend Wharton and his application was approved by Nolan's boss, who is no longer alive.
Debate night highlights...
- and engaged in a fiery debate where, at times, the former president seemed enraged and frustrated.
- Vice President Harris tried to get under Trump's skin by bringing up his ties to Project 2025, his criminal conviction in New York, his rally crowd sizes, and the various indictments he's facing.
- Trump went off script when he repeated wild conspiracies about immigrants eating dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio.
- "They're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there," Trump said as Harris laughed and shook her head.
- In one instance, Trump seemingly threw his running mate, , under the bus and blamed him for miscommunication about his stance on a national abortion ban.
- Despite his subpar moments, Trump dubbed his performance "his best debate ever."
- A Harris spokesperson called for a second debate in October.
Nolan couldn't say whether the decision was decisive or came as a result of an inside connection by the prestigious Trump family.
At the time, Nolan said that more than half of Penn applicants were accepted into the school while transfer students, such as Trump, were given a higher acceptance rate based on their previous college experience.
Data on the acceptance rate for the University of Pennsylvania in the 1960s isn't available, however, in the 1980s, the rate was "slightly greater than 40%," according to the school's .
At the time of writing, the school has an acceptance rate of 7%, according to the .
"It was not very difficult," Nolan said of Trump's enrollment.
"I certainly was not struck by any sense that I’m sitting before a genius. Certainly not a super genius."
Nolan added that helping Trump was a big regret of his, saying "I wish I hadn't interviewed him."
When asked to describe Trump's friend group at the school, Nolan said that he never saw him with another student.
"Always by himself," said Nolan. "Kind of a sad sack."
FIXER CONFESSES
Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and so-called fixer, told Congress back in 2019 that his boss demanded that he send threatening letters to his alma maters if they released his transcripts.
"I’m talking about a man who declares himself brilliant but directed me to threaten his high school, his colleges, and the College Board to never release his grades or SAT scores," Cohen told the House Oversight Committee.
One of the letters was sent to Fordham University in May 2015 - a month before Trump announced his presidential campaign.
The letter was addressed to the school's then-president, Reverend Joseph M. McShane.
"As I am sure you are aware, pursuant to applicable law, including the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act...the release or disclosure, in any form, of such records (or any information contained in such records) to any third party without my client's prior written authorization is expressly prohibited by law," the letter read.
"We will hold your institution liable to the fullest extent of the law including damages and criminality."
Allan Lichtman's 2024 presidential election prediction
Renowned historian Allan Lichtman has accurately predicted the outcomes of presidential elections since 1984 using his 13 Keys to the White House algorithm. The scholar has revealed who he thinks will be inaugurated as the 47th president in January next year based on his system of true and false statements.
If six or more statements go against the White House party, they are projected to lose the presidential election.
Midterm elections: The Democrats suffered losses in the 2022 House elections, meaning the key turns false. (Harris 0-1 Trump)
There is no primary contest: This key turns in favor of Harris because the Democrats got "smart" and rallied behind the vice president after Joe Biden ended his campaign, according to Lichtman. (Harris 1-1 Trump)
The sitting president is seeking another term: This turns false because Biden suspended his re-election campaign. (Harris 1-2 Trump)
There is no third-party challenger: This statement is true because third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. needed to poll at 10% nationally, according to Lichtman. (Harris 2-2 Trump)
The short-term economy is strong: This key goes in favor of the White House Party. (Harris 3-2 Trump)
The long-term economic growth has been as good as the last two terms: This key also swings toward Harris. (Harris 4-2 Trump)
The White House Party has made major national policy changes: This key is also true, according to Lichtman's theory. (Harris 5-2 Trump)
There is sustained social unrest during the term: College campus demonstrations have erupted in reaction to the Gaza conflict, but no protests have broken out that threaten the fabric of society. This means the key goes in Harris' column. (Harris 6-2 Trump)
The White House is untainted by scandal: Despite House Republican efforts to impeach Joe Biden, they have been unable to pin a scandal on him. (Harris 7-2 Trump)
The incumbent is charismatic: Harris is not considered a Ronald Reagan or Franklin D. Roosevelt-like figure so the key is false. (Harris 7-3 Trump)
The challenger is uncharismatic: This key goes in favor of the White House party - even though Trump is a showman. (Harris 8-3 Trump)
Lichtman warned that the two foreign policy keys - whether there has been a major success or no failure - could flip either way.
But, even if both statements flipped against Harris, Trump would not have enough keys in his column to win the election.
The New York Military Academy, where Trump graduated in 1964, also received a similar letter.
"I thank you for your cooperation. Please guide yourself accordingly and contact me to inform me that the records have been permanently sealed," Cohen wrote at the time.
THREE AGAINST ONE
Trump and several of his allies slammed debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis for unfairly attacking him on stage.
"I thought that was my best Debate, EVER, especially since it was THREE ON ONE!" Trump on Truth Social.
His daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, said she expected the moderators' behavior.
"It was three-on-one," she said.
"Kamala Harris got up there, she lied. She brought up Project 2025 not just once but multiple times."
Lara added that her father-in-law has repeatedly disavowed Project 2025.
Former Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard accused Muir and Davis of "clearly shilling" for Vice President Harris.
Muir interrupted Trump as the former president shared bizarre conspiracy theories about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, .
"In Springfield, they're eating the dogs, the people that came in," said Trump.
"They're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there."
However, Muir said the Springfield city manager determined there were "no credible reports" of migrants harming pets in the city.
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Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy called Muir "particularly disgraceful."
The U.S. Sun has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
DAVID MUIR V DONALD TRUMP
David Muir and Donald Trump's history dates back to 2016 when the former president was merely a candidate going head-to-head with Hillary Clinton.
Trump has been public about his feelings toward ABC, however, he has shown favor toward Muir.
In 2016, Trump had refused interview with ABC, but when Clinton and her running mate Tim Kaine agreed to speak with Muir, the former president changed his mind.
"If it's David Muir, I wanna do it," Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway recalled the 78-year-old saying to .
Ultimately, Muir interviewed Trump and Mike Pence on a private plane at the Canfield County Fairgrounds.
"David Muir seems like central casting to Donald Trump," Conway said.
She also mentioned hearing Trump making a remark about Muir, calling him "handsome."
Additionally, multiple ABC News staffers have told the outlet that Trump likes Muir due to his dominance in ratings.
"Trump likes people who are number one in the ratings, and David’s number one," said an ABC News reporter.
Muir also was able to land the first televised interview with the former president after he won the election.
In 2020, the 50-year-old moderator secured the first TV interview with Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement on the anchor, an ABC News spokesperson called him "prolific."
"David Muir is one of the most prolific, trusted and highly respected journalists in America—he is tough, but fair which is why ABC World News Tonight has been the most watched newscast for nearly a decade," they said.
"His work speaks for itself."
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