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SevereRacism & XenophobiaBefore 2016

Trump and Father Sued by DOJ for Systematic Racial Discrimination in Housing

October 15, 1973Updated June 1, 197510 sources20 key facts

In October 1973, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Donald Trump, his father Fred Trump, and Trump Management for systematic violations of the Fair Housing Act. Evidence included Urban League testing showing Black applicants were told 'no vacancies“ while white applicants were immediately shown apartments, employee testimony that applications were marked, ”C for colored,“ and a rental agent instructed to quote Black applicants 'twice as much” rent to price them out.

Trump filed a $100 million countersuit (dismissed) and settled in 1975 with no admission of guilt. In 1978, the DOJ returned to court saying Trump continued discriminating in violation of the consent decree. Trump later falsely claimed he 'never settled“ and it was 'no big deal.” This case established a decades-long pattern of racial discrimination in Trump's business practices.

Key Facts17
  • 01October 1973: DOJ filed civil rights lawsuit against Fred Trump, Donald Trump, and Trump Management
  • 02Lawsuit alleged systematic violations of Fair Housing Act of 1968
  • 03Case covered 39 properties with approximately 14,000 apartments in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island
  • 04Urban League testing (1972): Black applicants told 'no vacancies' while white applicants shown apartments
  • 05Evidence: Trump employees marked applications with 'C for colored' to identify Black applicants
  • 06Former doorman testified: told to quote Black applicants 'twice as much' rent to make it unaffordable
  • 07Rental agent told Black woman apartments available, then called back saying 'they discriminated against blacks'
  • 08Employee testimony: company policy was to rent only to 'Jews and Executives' (excluding Black tenants)
  • 09Trump filed $100 million countersuit against DOJ for defamation (countersuit dismissed)
  • 10June 1975: Settlement via consent decree - Trump denied wrongdoing but agreed to stop discrimination
  • 11Settlement required: ads notifying minorities of equal housing opportunity, training for employees
  • 121978: DOJ returned to court alleging Trump violated consent decree and continued discriminating
  • 131978 evidence: Blacks denied apartments, racial steering to specific complexes, substandard conditions
  • 14Trump effectively wore down government - consent decree expired before DOJ could press new case
  • 152016: Victims spoke out publicly, describing being turned away from Trump apartments due to race
  • 16FBI released 389 pages of investigation documents in 2017 via FOIA request
  • 17Pattern: Trump's first major public controversy involved racial discrimination in business practices
Sources10
Verified across 10 sources
—News Reports
NPR: Donald Trump's Housing Discrimination Case Still Chases Him Decades Later→Washington Post: Inside the government's racial bias case against Donald Trump's company, and how he fought it→ABC News: A Look Back at the Discrimination Suit Dogging Donald Trump→NBC News: 'Not Wanted': Black applicants turned down for Trump housing speak out→TIME: Trump's 1973 Discrimination Case Was Part of Larger Case→Newsweek: Fair Housing Act Anniversary: Trump and His Father Were Sued for Racial Discrimination→The Hill: FBI releases documents related to Trump apartment discrimination case→MEAWW: Applications were stamped with a big C for colored→
racismhousing-discriminationcivil-rightsfair-housing-actfred-trumpconsent-decree-violationsystematic-discrimination