Fact check: What was Donald Trump's GPA at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School?

1. Summary of the results

Donald Trump's exact GPA at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School remains unknown and undisclosed. None of the analyzed sources provide his actual GPA, despite extensive investigation into his academic record ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]}.

However, multiple sources indicate that Trump's academic performance was likely not exceptional:

• According to Michael Wolff, Trump's college transcripts are described as "terrible" ^[1]
• Professor William T. Kelley reportedly called Trump "the dumbest goddamn student I ever had" ^[1]
• Trump's name was not among the top honorees at his commencement ceremony ^[3]
• He was not on the dean's list during his senior year ^[3]
• A former admissions officer, James Nolan, highlighted Trump's "lack of academic distinction" during his time at Wharton ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The question about Trump's GPA lacks several crucial pieces of context:

• Trump has made contradictory claims about his academic performance - he has claimed to graduate "at the top of his class," but these claims are disputed by official records and his own statements in some interviews ^[2]
• The admission process itself raises questions - there are suggestions of possible special favors due to family connections in his admission to Wharton ^[1]
• Historical context matters - admission to Wharton was reportedly much easier during Trump's time there compared to current standards ^[3]
• Trump has actively concealed his academic records - he has not released records detailing his admission process or academic performance at Wharton ^[7]

Trump himself benefits from maintaining ambiguity around his academic performance, as it allows him to make claims about being a top student while avoiding scrutiny of actual records that might contradict these assertions.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself is not biased or misleading - it's a straightforward factual inquiry. However, the inability to answer this basic question reveals a pattern of deliberate opacity around Trump's academic credentials.

The real issue lies not in the question but in Trump's own public statements about his academic performance, which appear to be contradicted by available evidence. His claims of graduating "at the top of his class" ^[2] and referring to his Wharton degree as "super genius stuff" ^[3] stand in stark contrast to accounts from professors and the absence of any academic honors or dean's list recognition ^{[1] [3]}.

This pattern suggests that the public has been presented with an inflated version of Trump's academic achievements, while the actual records that could verify or refute these claims remain hidden from public scrutiny.