The White House never misses an opportunity to point out how this president followed through. It’s even become an official slogan of this administration: “Promises made. Promises kept.”
Trump promised to nominate a conservative Supreme Court justice. Promise kept. Trump promised to pull out of the Iran deal. Promise kept. Trump promised to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. Promise kept.
But there is one promise that the president especially shouldn’t keep. He shouldn’t reopen Trump University like he promised almost two years ago.
After the litigation is disposed of and the case won, I have instructed my execs to open Trump U(?), so much interest in it! I will be pres.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 2, 2016
That for-profit institution was not accredited and it didn’t offer any college credit, but it wasn’t cheap. Tuition for the Gold Elite three-day package started at $34,995. Students were told they would learn from the Trump playbook and they would receive real-estate tutelage from handpicked instructors. Somehow it managed to last five years, producing several dissatisfied if not accomplished alumni in the process.
The educational endeavor eventually went belly up after becoming the subject of three separate lawsuits which Trump wouldn’t settle until after winning the presidency and paying $25 million in damages.
That unfortunate student body got reimbursed. They didn’t give it the old college try. They did not get an idea of a proper university. They certainly didn’t get a chance to ponder all the permanent and beautiful things that make up the more traditional curriculum of a liberal arts education. But that student body kept others from following in their foolish footsteps. Thanks to those unlucky few, Trump University started and it definitely stopped and it should never start up again.
