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---
title: Donald Trump: Attack Ads Target Trump University
description: A group released new television ads accusing Donald Trump of taking advantage of Trump University enrollees.
canonical: https://time.com/4239593/donald-trump-university-ads/
author: Justin Worland
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2016-02-26T22:06:50.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:46:28.004Z
article:section: Politics
og:title: New Anti-Donald Trump Ads Feature Trump University Customers
og:description: &quot;I was trumped by Trump&quot;
og:url: https://time.com/4239593/donald-trump-university-ads/
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og:image:alt: donald trump trump university
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twitter:title: New Anti-Donald Trump Ads Feature Trump University Customers
twitter:description: &quot;I was trumped by Trump&quot;
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2cc23940cdbc4409/69887f53cf40a85677c422b1/donald-trump-trump-university.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# New Anti-Donald Trump Ads Feature Trump University Customers

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![Justin Worland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltce43820e61634237/698a0e76457a527422d63fe7/TIME-JustinWorland.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)


![Justin Worland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltce43820e61634237/698a0e76457a527422d63fe7/TIME-JustinWorland.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Justin Worland


Senior Correspondent

Feb 26, 2016 10:06 PM UTC

![Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Fort Worth, Texas, Feb. 26, 2016.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2cc23940cdbc4409/69887f53cf40a85677c422b1/donald-trump-trump-university.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Fort Worth, Texas, Feb. 26, 2016.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Fort Worth, Texas, Feb. 26, 2016. Tom Pennington—2016 Getty Images

![Justin Worland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltce43820e61634237/698a0e76457a527422d63fe7/TIME-JustinWorland.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1:1)

by 

[Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)


![Justin Worland](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltce43820e61634237/698a0e76457a527422d63fe7/TIME-JustinWorland.jpg?branch=production&width=96&quality=75&auto=webp)

## Justin Worland


Senior Correspondent

Feb 26, 2016 10:06 PM UTC

A conservative group [released new television ads Friday](http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/26/politics/conservative-group-donald-trump-campaign/) accusing presidential candidate Donald Trump of taking advantage of [Trump University](http://time.com/4101290/what-the-legal-battle-over-trump-university-reveals-about-its-founder/) customers.

The American Future Fund has committed more than $3 million to airing the ads, [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/26/politics/conservative-group-donald-trump-campaign/) reports. The ad comes a day after rival Republican Marco Rubio took aim at Trump over Trump University, which bills itself as a school where aspiring real estate moguls can learn the billionaire’s secrets to success. But [Trump University has long been criticized](http://time.com/4101290/what-the-legal-battle-over-trump-university-reveals-about-its-founder/) and Trump faces several lawsuits alleging that the company defrauded its students.

“I was trumped by Trump,” says Bob, a character at the center of one ad. “I paid $35,000 at Trump University and all I got was a picture of myself with a cut out of Donald Trump.”

Trump has pushed back against recent criticism over Trump University by saying he won most of the lawsuits regarding it.

See more of the ads below.


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