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What SAT score has been attributed to Donald J. Trump and what are the sources?

Checked on November 14, 2025
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Executive summary

There are no verifiable, publicly released SAT scores for Donald J. Trump; reporting and commentary note that his scores remain sealed and that Michael Cohen testified he was directed to threaten schools and the College Board to keep those records private [1] [2]. Multiple education- and politics-focused outlets and test-prep sites conclude that Trump’s exact SAT (or ACT) numbers are not publicly known and that federal privacy law (FERPA) protects such records [3] [4] [5].

1. The straightforward fact: no confirmed SAT score on record

Contemporary reporting and compilations of presidents’ test scores consistently say Trump’s SAT result has not been disclosed; Newsweek explicitly states “no public details of his grades or SAT scores” and notes Cohen’s claim about threats to release them, underscoring there is no published numeric score for Trump to cite [1]. Test-prep and aggregation sites that searched for presidential scores likewise concluded that Trump did not volunteer his scores and that none were found in public records [3] [4].

2. Why the absence is plausible and what reporters point to legally

Observers note that SAT scores are treated as education records under FERPA, which generally prohibits disclosure without the student’s permission; Forbes explains that would make any unilateral public release improper and that attempts to obtain such records without permission are legally fraught [5]. Several stories use that legal framework to explain why precise scores haven’t surfaced despite public interest [3] [1].

3. The Michael Cohen testimony that fuels the mystery

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, testified to Congress that he wrote letters at Trump’s direction threatening Trump’s high school, college[6], and the College Board to prevent disclosure of Trump’s grades and SAT scores; multiple outlets reported that claim and published it as the key piece of evidence motivating renewed interest [1] [2] [7]. Reporting emphasizes the letters exist in Cohen’s statement and that they are why journalists and late-night hosts treated the issue as newsworthy [1] [7].

4. Claims, counterclaims and the role of secondary reporting

Some commentators, pundits, and informal sources have speculated that Trump’s scores would be “low” or otherwise politically damaging — Mary L. Trump’s and others’ allegations about academic irregularities have circulated in the media and in books — but the compiled sources here do not present any authenticated numeric SAT score and instead focus on the secrecy around the records [8] [9]. Satirical or speculative lists and quiz-style pieces have at times circulated fabricated scores for historical figures, and analysts warn those lists are not primary evidence [4].

5. What available sources do not show (and why that matters)

Available sources do not mention any verified numeric SAT score for Donald J. Trump; none of the provided articles publish a concrete combined, math, or evidence-based reading score attributed to him [3] [1] [4]. Because the sources uniformly report the absence of released records and rely on Cohen’s testimony about attempts to suppress them, there is no documentary basis in these reports to assert any particular score.

6. How different outlets frame the significance

Education-focused writers (Inside Higher Ed, test-prep sites) treat the missing score as a curiosity or footnote about privacy and the public’s appetite for credentials [2] [4]. News outlets and late-night coverage frame Cohen’s testimony and the concealment as politically interesting and sometimes comical, noting the oddity of a public figure trying to block access to century-old transcripts [7] [1]. Law- and policy-oriented pieces discuss the implications for privilege, transparency, and how elite access can shape career outcomes, but again do so without citing any numeric SAT record [9].

7. Bottom line and guidance for readers

The only well-sourced, repeated factual claims in the provided reporting are: [10] no public SAT score for Trump has been documented, and [11] Michael Cohen said he threatened schools and the College Board to prevent release of Trump’s grades and SAT scores [1] [2]. Any specific numeric SAT score attributed to Trump in other venues should be treated cautiously unless that venue shows a primary record or legal release; the sources here do not contain such a record [3] [4].

Want to dive deeper?
Has Donald Trump publicly claimed an SAT score and in which interviews or writings?
Are there leaked or reported official SAT records for Donald Trump from high school?
How do biographies and journalists document Trump's academic testing and college admissions?
What college entrance exams did Trump take and what scores were reported when he applied to Wharton?
How reliable are third-party recollections vs. official score reports in reporting historical SAT scores?