Ledger · Before politics · № 7
The $5 million "major announcement" offer for Obama's records
Never delivered“If Barack Obama opens up and gives his college records and applications, and if he gives his passport applications and records, I will give to a charity of his choice ... a check immediately for five million dollars.”
- Promised
- , Video posted to Trump's Twitter account, billed all week as a "major announcement"
- Stated deadline
- “by October 31st, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon” → October 31, 2012
- Overdue by
- 13 years, 10 months as of September 22, 2026
- Re-promised
- 2 times with a fresh deadline
- Topic
- Transparency & records
- Era
- Before politics
What happened
Trump had spent the week teasing an election "bombshell" that would be "very big" and "possibly bad for the President." The announcement turned out to be a publicity stunt: a conditional charity offer with a one-week deadline. Obama ignored it, the October 31, 2012 deadline passed, no money was ever paid, and the stunt produced nothing. Trump has never substantiated any claim about Obama's college or passport records.
Sources
- Trump-October Surprise: Donald Trump offers $5 million for release of Obama's college records
- Donald Trump's Big Obama Announcement: $5 Million In Exchange For Obama's College, Passport Records
- Donald 'Bombshell' Fails to Blow Up
- Donald Trump Tells Forbes Why He's Offering $5 Million For Obama's Records
- 5 Years Ago Today Trump Offered $5 Million For Obama's College Records