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What were Donald Trump's reported SAT scores?

Checked on November 20, 2025
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Executive summary

Public reporting shows no verified, public SAT scores for Donald Trump; multiple outlets note that his grades and test results were never released and that his former lawyer Michael Cohen testified that Trump tried to stop schools and the College Board from disclosing them [1] [2]. Commentary and retrospectives treat the scores as unknown, note legal protections like FERPA for academic records, and report competing claims — Trump’s own boasts of high scores versus allegations from critics that they were low or even falsified [3] [2] [4].

1. No public, verifiable SAT numbers — the basic fact

News organizations and education commentators consistently say there are “no public details” or “no known” SAT scores for Trump; reporting around Michael Cohen’s 2019 testimony emphasized that Trump’s academic records, including SAT scores, have not been disclosed publicly [1] [5] [4].

2. Why the scores remain private: legal protection and alleged threats

Journalists point out two reasons: federal education-privacy law (FERPA) blocks schools from releasing records without permission, and Michael Cohen said he was directed by Trump to send letters threatening schools and the College Board to prevent release of grades and scores — Cohen presented copies of such letters at his testimony [2] [1]. Forbes explicitly notes that FERPA already forbids disclosure without written permission, which makes the alleged threats legally unnecessary but politically revealing [2].

3. Competing claims — Trump’s boasts versus critics’ suggestions

Public commentary notes a contrast: Trump has boasted about strong academic credentials and high test performance, while critics — including relatives and associates quoted in some pieces — have claimed or implied lower performance or even that someone else helped him get into college. Those claims remain allegations; reporting emphasizes the lack of documentary proof because the official records haven’t been produced [3] [4].

4. How journalists and commentators treat the significance of SAT scores

Several writers argue SAT scores matter little for judging a president’s abilities; the focus on scores is often framed as part of personality and branding rather than substantive qualification. Inside Higher Ed and other commentaries say the wider story is Trump’s concern about the optics of scores and grades, not the numbers themselves [4].

5. Historical context — presidents’ scores are rarely public

Reporting compiled by tutoring and prep sites finds that few presidents have publicly available standardized-test scores; George W. Bush is often cited as one with disclosed scores (1206 on the SAT), while many others, including Trump, Obama, and Biden, lack public SAT/ACT records [5] [6]. That context underlines that secrecy about such records is not unique to Trump.

6. What sources do and do not say — limits of available reporting

Available sources do not publish any verified SAT score for Donald Trump; they document testimony and allegations about efforts to block disclosure and note Trump’s public boasts, but none provide documented score numbers [1] [2] [3]. No provided source supplies a certified transcript or College Board release showing a numeric score [5] [4].

7. Why this question keeps resurfacing — motives and agendas

Coverage shows multiple incentives behind interest in the scores: opponents want evidence to challenge claims of brilliance; supporters accept or amplify Trump’s own assertions; and journalists see the episode as illustrative of image-management and legal boundaries around privacy. Some reporting highlights potential motivation to suppress records as politically protective, while also acknowledging legal protections that would already prevent routine release [2] [1].

Bottom line: current public reporting and commentary consistently state there are no verifiable SAT scores for Donald Trump and center the story on the secrecy and competing claims rather than on any confirmed numeric result [1] [5]. If you want confirmation of a numeric score, available sources do not provide one [1] [2].

Want to dive deeper?
What evidence supports the reported SAT scores for Donald Trump and where did the figures originate?
Did Donald Trump ever release official transcripts or verify his SAT scores publicly?
How do reported SAT scores attributed to Trump compare to averages for Ivy League admissions in his era?
Have biographers or journalists investigated discrepancies in Trump’s academic records and claims?
What legal or privacy rules govern the release and verification of a public figure’s standardized test scores?