
Biographer says Trump's Harvard grudge might just be a case of bruised ego — and it's not his son who got rejected
US President Donald Trump's ongoing feud with Harvard University has sparked speculation about its origins, with a popular theory suggesting that Trump's animosity stems from his son Barron not being accepted. However, presidential biographer Michael Wolff offers a different perspective, Wolff claims it was Trump himself who was rejected by Harvard, fueling a longstanding grudge against the Ivy League.
Wolff, author of bestsellers such as 'Fire and Fury and All or Nothing', shared his views during a recent episode of The Daily Beast podcast. When host Joanna Coles pointed out that many people in Trump's circle, including some who attended Harvard Business School and Yale, seemed at odds with the president's hostility toward elite universities, Wolff responded: 'It's important not to lend too much calculation and planning to anything he does. But the other thing is that, by the way, he didn't get into Harvard. So one of the Trump things is always holding a grudge against the Ivy Leagues.'
Despite Wolff's claim, there are no publicly available records or biographies confirming whether Trump applied to or was rejected by Harvard. His known education history includes attending Fordham University for two years before transferring to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1968.

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Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
India weighs legal uncertainties around Trump tariffs as trade pact talks start this week
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Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
‘Powell is impossible': Donald Trump slams US Fed chair for being ‘too late' after private hiring hits 2-year low
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Iran, hit by high inflation and threatened by Trump, seeks comfort in gold; imports triple in a year
Many Iranians reportedly keep their savings in gold and US dollars at home, avoiding banks due to fears of financial instability or government confiscation. The country itself has used gold transactions for weapons deals with sanctions-hit Russia read more Iran is turning increasingly to gold as citizens and businesses seek refuge from soaring inflation and escalating geopolitical tensions, particularly threats from former US President Donald Trump's administration. Local gold prices surged more than 80 per cent in Iranian rial terms over the past year, significantly outpacing the global benchmark's increase of 45 per cent. The West Asian nation imported a record 100 tons of gold valued at about $8 billion in the financial year ending in late March, tripling its previous annual imports, according to government data. The actual figure could be nearly double, with substantial amounts coming from neighbouring markets like the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, according to analysts cited by Financial Times. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sanctions spurring gold accumulation Analysts link this sharp rise to Iranians investing in gold to protect their savings amid economic instability, sanctions, and the looming threat of military confrontation with the United States and Israel. The Central Bank of Iran has reportedly accumulated large gold reserves, potentially at historic levels, as a buffer against future sanctions. While the central bank has not publicly commented, an economist familiar with the matter said, 'No one in the world can stop Iran from importing gold[…]The global gold market is opaque. Gold takes up little space and much of it arrives through neighbouring countries.' Demand high despite price volatility Price volatility has occasionally impacted investors, with gold coin prices briefly exceeding IR1 billion ($2,200) in March before retreating following the resumption of nuclear talks with the US, which briefly raised hopes for sanctions relief. Nonetheless, demand for gold remains robust due to considerable challenges impeding a nuclear agreement. US officials continue demanding that Iran halt uranium enrichment, a stance Tehran firmly rejects. Trump's ongoing 'maximum pressure' policy, combined with threats of additional sanctions targeting Iran's crucial oil exports, further fuels economic uncertainty. Many Iranians reportedly keep their savings in gold and US dollars at home, avoiding banks due to fears of financial instability or government confiscation. 'It's like wine that just sits in storage,' FT quoted Mohammad Keshtyaray, a member of Iran's Gold and Jewelry Special Committee, as saying. Gold for weapons? Additionally, gold transactions help Iran circumvent international sanctions. US analysts from C4ADS, as reported by The Washington Post earlier, revealed that Russia transferred 1.8 tons of gold bars worth approximately $104 million to Iran as payment for Shahed-136 drones. Further gold transactions between Russia and Iran are reportedly planned, though details remain unclear.