English Learning for Curious Minds | A More Interesting Way To Learn English

[Black Friday Freebie #1] Trump University: A $25 Million Lesson in Fraud

Nov 23, 2025
Explore the rise and fall of Trump University, where a promise of wealth turned into a costly lesson in deception. Discover how a free seminar lured thousands, only to upsell them on expensive packages with little real value. Delve into misleading language that misrepresented the institution and examine the hidden aggressive sales tactics. Hear about the court cases that uncovered the truth behind a supposed 98% student satisfaction rate and learn how brand power played a significant role in students' financial losses.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

The Free Seminar Hook

  • Thousands attended free 90-minute seminars promising Trump's business secrets and quick wealth.
  • The real Donald Trump never appeared; seminars were led by presenters billed as his hand-picked experts.
ANECDOTE

The Upsell Funnel

  • Attendees were upsold from a $1,495 three-day seminar to Bronze, Silver, and Gold packages up to $34,995.
  • The three-day event functioned mainly as a sales pitch for expensive packages and further upsells.
INSIGHT

Words Carried Legal Weight

  • Trump University misused language by calling itself a 'university' and claiming to have 'professors' without authorization.
  • These semantic misrepresentations were central to the legal trouble the operation later faced.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app