Fact check: When did claims about Trump being rejected by Harvard first surface?

1. Summary of the results

Claims about Trump and Harvard have surfaced multiple times over different periods:

• The first documented instance was an April Fool's Day joke published on The Tab website on April 1, 2016 ^[1]
• The narrative resurfaced in August 2016, coinciding with the Harvard Republican Club's decision not to endorse Trump ^[1]
• Most recently, these claims gained new traction in early 2024, following the October 7 Hamas attack and subsequent campus protests ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements need to be considered:

• Trump has explicitly denied ever applying to Harvard, stating he graduated from Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania ^[3]
• Trump's actual educational path included attendance at Fordham University before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School ^[4]
• Recent claims are connected to broader political context, including:

Harvard President Claudine Gay's controversial congressional hearing and subsequent resignation ^[2]

Unsubstantiated rumors about Barron Trump's rejection from Harvard, though he actually attended NYU's Stern School of Business ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

Several parties have potential motivations for promoting different narratives:

• Author Michael Wolff claims Trump wasn't accepted to Harvard but provides no evidence, while Trump suggests Wolff's claims are motivated by poor book sales ^[3]
• Social media narratives about Barron Trump's supposed Harvard rejection appear to be unsubstantiated rumors used to explain Trump's criticism of Ivy League institutions ^[5]
• The timing of various claims' resurgence often coincides with political events, suggesting potential political motivations:

The 2016 Harvard Republican Club's non-endorsement ^[1]

The 2024 campus protests and controversies ^[2]