President Donald Trump claims to be a stable genius with the best words. For years he has challenged people to IQ tests—although failed to take one or provide verified results for any he may have taken in the past—and frequently insults the intelligence of others, especially African-Americans.
Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest -and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure,it's not your fault— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1368063426.0
But just how brilliant is the President?
The President claimed to be at the top of his class academically and in the 1970s several New York publications shared his claim but later refuted it in the 1980s. So far none of his school transcripts from either Kew-Forest School or the New York Military Academy or his post high school alma maters, Fordham and Wharton, have been released.
In fact, extraordinary efforts—including having his fixer Michael Cohen threaten legal action—were taken to keep Trump's grades out of the public eye. Fordham University confirmed Cohen's claims of threats sent regarding Trump's grades.
Now his high school, the New York Military Academy, is sharing a similar story of intense secrecy regarding the President's high school grades.
Former academy headmaster Evan Jones told The Washington Post that the school first received pressure from Trump and his powerful allies to conceal his records in 2011. At that time, Trump challenged President Barack Obama to release his academic records claiming the 44th President such a poor student it was surprising he got into Ivy League schools.
If @BarackObama had such a wonderful academic record why wouldn't he want to show it?— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1342543136.0
Breitbart gets it! Vote now--Obama should release his college application records & grades. He says he loves (cont) http://t.co/YJxA91PI— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1342731649.0
@realDonaldTrump @AaronBlake @Late_Show Yikes. https://t.co/QD80EGnEv9— Natalie Eilatan 🐝 (@Natalie Eilatan 🐝) 1551282622.0
Jones claimed the superintendent of the military academy "came to me in a panic because he had been accosted by prominent, wealthy alumni of the school who were Mr. Trump's friends."
Former Superintendent Jeffrey Coverdale concurred with Jones' account.
"I moved them elsewhere on campus where they could not be released. It’s the only time I ever moved an alumnus’s records."
"It's the only time I ever moved an alumnus's records" -- how hard Trump worked to make sure that his grades never… https://t.co/SwxzxdxVx3— Greg Miller (@Greg Miller) 1551823996.0
The 45th President's academic record and level of education and intelligence have been a matter of speculation for years.
The primary catalyst being Trump's many boastful statements about his superior intellect compared to his apparent difficulty with reading and his speech patterns. The President often tweets about how intellectually superior he is.
....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart.… https://t.co/G3374En0XQ— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1515241662.0
....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and… https://t.co/X3UO2xDvEv— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1515241851.0
The President's infamous "stable genius" tweet continues to be used to mock him each time he comments on the intelligence of others.
I so hope the Dem nominee releases grades going back to HS and dares Trump to do the same. Let Trump disprove he's… https://t.co/89zG31EXew— Jennifer Rubin (@Jennifer Rubin) 1551823697.0
While Trump's former attorney Cohen testified before Congress that one of his duties was to threaten the schools the President attended. Jones said he unaware of the source of the original request regarding Trump's records at the military academy.
The former superintendent found Trump's records in a filing cabinet in a basement on campus.
"I don’t know if we should be doing this," Jones recalled telling his boss.
"He told me that several wealthy alumni, including a close friend of Mr. Trump, were putting a lot of pressure on the administration to put the record in their custody for safekeeping."
In an added wrinkle, Trump's former boarding school was eventually sold to a Chinese investor in 2015. Given the extraordinary efforts the President took to keep all of his grades hidden people wonder who has those records now and what impact those records may have on trade negotiations and other relations with China.
New York Military Academy buried Trump’s grades and disciplinary record before the school went bankrupt and was sol… https://t.co/KdfALyO8Rt— Richard W. Painter (@Richard W. Painter) 1551846454.0
People had little sympathy for the President however.
Presidents don't have to show us their grades. But Trump claimed he was first in his class. He harassed Obama about… https://t.co/GNoZsEEGa1— Nick Jack Pap-pass the Gravy (@Nick Jack Pap-pass the Gravy) 1551875681.0
I’m sure they did this because they didn’t want the public to be intimidated by how great Trump’s grades were. https://t.co/h2ZTIVbrUw— Jon Cryer (@Jon Cryer) 1551824326.0
Obama graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School... Trump had his lawyer threaten to sue every school he w… https://t.co/E8Kk1ppYHI— Danny Ocean (@Danny Ocean) 1551789486.0
Trump won’t release school transcripts because his grades would be humiliating and damning. Same reason he won’t re… https://t.co/Jd3wQVp89G— Tony Schwartz (@Tony Schwartz) 1551885889.0
The White House has not addressed the issue of the President's school transcripts or any plans to release his grades.