Trump University: $25 million settlement agreed after the 2016 election and approved in 2017 Case Less than two weeks after winning the 2016 election, Trump agreed to pay $25 million to settle two federal class actions and a New York attorney general lawsuit alleging Trump University's real estate seminars pressured customers and failed to deliver. A federal judge approved the settlement on March 31, 2017, while Trump was president. Under its terms he admits no wrongdoing, and his lawyers said the allegations were false. The settlement Less than two weeks after the November 2016 election, Trump agreed to pay $25 million to settle two federal class actions and a New York attorney general lawsuit over Trump University. On Mar. 31, 2017, with Trump now president, Judge Gonzalo Curiel approved the settlement; under its terms Trump admits no wrongdoing. The allegations and the responses The suits alleged that Trump University's seminars were like infomercials that pressured customers to spend more and failed to deliver. NPR reported the deal covered more than 6,000 students and that Trump's lawyers said the allegations were false. Trump had said during the campaign that he would not settle. His attorneys said the settlement let him focus on the transition to the White House. Then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Trump had refused to settle and fought the case for years until a sudden reversal that fall. The attorney general's account (Nov. 18, 2016) In his Nov. 18, 2016 statement, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said his office sued Trump in 2013 over Trump University, that the $25 million settlement gives every victim restitution, and that Trump will pay up to $1 million in penalties to New York for violating state education laws. He called it a "stunning reversal" by Trump and a victory for more than 6,000 victims, and said Trump had fought the case for years with baseless charges and appeals and refused to settle even for modest amounts. Perspectives Defender — Trump and his lawyers The allegations were false, the settlement admits no wrongdoing, and it let Trump focus on the transition to the White House. Research notes Created Oct. 18, 2026 from sources first used in the denials synthesis entry, then strengthened with the attorney general's Nov. 18, 2016 statement (carried in full by a local TV station; search excerpt). Court filings were not read. Open leads: (1) reconcile the dates: AP reports Judge Curiel approved the settlement on Mar. 31, 2017, while a news-service copy of an attorney general release dated April 2018 says Curiel finalized the order then; the later date may be a final order on distribution, so check the docket. (2) The settlement agreement and the claims process, including how much each of the more than 6,000 students received. (3) The 2013 New York complaint. (4) Trump's depositions and the documents unsealed during the 2016 campaign. (5) Trump's campaign statements that he would not settle, and his November 2016 statements about the settlement, from a primary archive. Note Trump's lawyers said the allegations were false and the settlement admits no wrongdoing; the attorney general called the victims' wait long and Trump's reversal on settling sudden. A settlement is not a finding of fraud. Sources [1] AP via ABC30: Judge approves $25 million Trump University settlement (https://abc30.com/post/judge-approves-$25-million-trump-university-settlement/1828020/) · 2017-03-31 [2] NPR via KAXE: Judge approves $25 million settlement of Trump University lawsuit (https://www.kaxe.org/2017-03-31/judge-approves-25-million-settlement-of-trump-university-lawsuit) · 2017-03-31 [3] AP via HeraldNet: Trump to pay $25 million to settle Trump University lawsuits (https://heraldnet.com/news/trump-nearing-settlement-in-trump-university-fraud-cases) · 2016-11 [4] WTKR: $25 million settlement reached in Trump University case (statement of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman) (https://wtkr.com/2016/11/18/25-million-settlement-reached-in-trump-university-case) · 2016-11-18 Connections Shared mechanism — Denials in the face of documented facts: how Trump, his family, his businesses, the White House and the Pentagon have answered fraud and conflict-of-interest allegations (2017-2026) The Trump University settlement and the responses to it are compared in the first-term section here; the linked entry holds the full account.