Donald Trump paid a friend to take his SAT for him
| Donald Trump paid a friend to take his SAT for him | |
|---|---|
| UNVERIFIED | |
| "Donald Trump paid a friend, Joe Shapiro, to take the SAT for him so he could get into college." | |
| Domain | Education & Learning |
| Tactic | False Context Conspiracy Theory |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2020 |
| Origin | Mary L. Trump's 2020 book Too Much and Never Enough |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-03 |
| Further reading: books on Education & Learning | |
The claim that Donald Trump paid someone to take his SAT appears in his niece Mary Trump's 2020 book. It is an unproven allegation, disputed by the White House and by people connected to the named individual.
What the evidence shows
- The allegation. Mary Trump wrote that Donald Trump paid a friend named Joe Shapiro to take the SAT in his place. The book gave no documentary proof.
- The denials. The White House called the allegation 'absurd' and completely false. Pam Shriver, widow of a Joe Shapiro who was a Penn classmate, denied her husband took the test and gave a timeline of when they met.
- Mary Trump's reply. She said it was a different Joe Shapiro and, in interviews, stood by the claim but said she could not prove it.
- Other witnesses. Inside Edition reported that three former classmates from Trump's military school refuted the claim.
- Status. No SAT record, testimony from the named test-taker, or other evidence has been made public.
Why it persists
The claim fits a narrative about privilege and was told by a relative with insider access. Both traits make it spread while leaving it unproven.
Lessons for readers
- A relative's account is a lead, not proof.
- Names can be shared by different people; resolve identity first.
- Unproven is not the same as false.
See also
Sources
- Mary L. Trump, Too Much and Never Enough, 2020.
- Washington Examiner, Yahoo News and Inside Edition reports on denials and Mary Trump's response, July 2020.