Trump University (also known as the Trump Wealth Institute and Trump Entrepreneur Initiative LLC ) was an American company that ran a real estate training program from 2005 until 2010. It was owned and operated by The Trump Organization . A separate organization, Trump Institute , was licensed by Trump University but not owned by The Trump Organization. In 2011, amid multiple investigations, lawsuits and student complaints, it ceased operations. [2] It was founded by Donald Trump and his associates, Michael
Despite its name, the organization was not an accredited university or college . It conducted three- and five-day seminars (often labeled "retreats") and used high-pressure tactics to sell these to its customers. [4] It did not confer college credit , grant degrees , or grade its students. [5] In 2011, the company became the subject of an inquiry by the New York Attorney General 's office for illegal business practices which resulted in a lawsuit filed in August 2013. [6] An article in the National Review d
Trump University was also the subject of two class actions in federal court. The lawsuits centered around allegations that Trump University defrauded its students by using misleading marketing practices and engaging in aggressive sales tactics. The company and the lawsuits against it received renewed interest due to Trump's candidacy in the 2016 presidential election . Despite repeatedly insisting he would not settle, Trump settled all three lawsuits in November 2016 for a total of $25 million after being e