Back in a March Republican debate, Trump was attacked by Marco Rubio for scamming working people into spending thousands on useless Trump University classes. Trump responded by saying that he would win the lawsuit—and that he never settles, which is why he’s rarely in court. Here’s the transcript, per The New York Times:
TRUMP: This is a case I could have settled very easily, but I don’t settle cases very easily when I’m right. Ninety-eight percent approval rating, we have an “A” from the Better Business Bureau...
RUBIO: ... That’s false...
TRUMP: ... We have a 98 percent approval rating from the people who took the course. We have an “A” from the Better Business Bureau. And, people like it. Now, he’s saying they didn’t learn.
We have many, many people that will be witnesses. Again, I don’t settle cases. I don’t do it because that’s why I don’t get sued very often, because I don’t settle, unlike a lot of other people.
The Better Business Bureau responded by saying that it never gave Trump University an “A” rating, and had in fact received “many consumer complaints” about the university. As for not getting sued very often, a report in February found that Trump had been named in 169 (nice) federal lawsuits.
Trump was due in court on November 28, but it looks like the man who said he’d never settle is going to settle. Early reports suggest that Trump will pay between $20 million and $25 million. It’s likely that Trump and his team want to keep him out of court because having a president-elect being tried for fraud is not a particularly good look. But given Trump’s mountain of debt, history of dodgy endeavors, and conflicts of interest, tying Trump up in court may be a good strategy for combatting his presidency.