WASHINGTON: There is no proof that an image claiming to show Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s report card from his semester at Fordham University is authentic. This image, which has resurfaced on social media, was also circulated prior to the 2020 presidential election.
A spokesperson for the university stated that the image is fabricated.
One social media post, tagging Trump, commented on the supposed report card, which claims Trump earned a GPA of 1.28 for a semester.
Fordham University, a private research institution in New York City, confirmed that Trump attended its liberal arts college, Fordham College at Rose Hill, for two years before transferring to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in economics in May 1968. Trump seldom discusses his time at Fordham, preferring to highlight his Wharton experience, including during the presidential debate on September 10.
Despite the circulating image, there is no evidence it depicts a genuine report card. Additionally, Trump has not shared this image on his social media platforms. Bob Howe, a Fordham spokesperson, stated via email, “The image is a forgery, not an actual Fordham University transcript.” He also noted that students’ test scores and grades are protected by federal privacy laws. “Fordham University respects the privacy of its students and alumni, and adheres to federal law regarding the handling and release of academic records,” Howe added.
In 2019, during testimony before the U.S. House Oversight Committee, Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, revealed that ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Trump instructed him to threaten Fordham University with legal action if they disclosed his grades.
The fabricated report card in the image mentions Trump’s childhood home in Queens, although he hasn’t lived there since he was four years old. This image was previously shared in 2019, around the time Trump announced his 2020 re-election campaign. As the 2024 election approaches, Trump has consistently criticized Vice President Harris’s intelligence.
Spokespeople for Trump did not immediately provide a comment on this matter.
VERDICT: There is no evidence that the image shared on social media represents Trump’s authentic report card from Fordham University. A university spokesperson has confirmed it is a “forgery.”
