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Fact Check: Trump Did Not Buy Ed McMahon's Home to Save Him From Foreclosure
A viral social media post claims Trump quietly purchased the TV star's home in 2008 and let him live there rent-free, but the facts show otherwise.
Apr. 12, 2026 at 3:06pm
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A foreclosure sign on a once-vibrant suburban home highlights the personal struggles faced by many Americans during the 2008 financial crisis.Beverly Hills TodayA viral social media post shared by President Donald Trump claims that he purchased Ed McMahon's Beverly Hills home in 2008 to save the TV personality from foreclosure and allowed him to live there rent-free for the rest of his life. However, this story is false, as contemporaneous reporting and statements from McMahon's representatives show that while Trump publicly expressed interest in buying the home, the deal never materialized and the home was eventually sold to a different buyer.
Why it matters
This false claim about Trump's purported act of generosity towards Ed McMahon has spread widely on social media, highlighting the ongoing issue of misinformation and the need for fact-checking, especially around politically charged topics.
The details
In 2008, Ed McMahon, then 86 years old, was facing foreclosure on his Beverly Hills home after defaulting on $4.8 million in mortgage loans. Trump publicly expressed interest in purchasing the home and leasing it back to McMahon, but the deal never materialized. The home was eventually sold to a different private buyer, with the identity of the buyer remaining secret until after McMahon's death in 2009.
- In 2008, Ed McMahon was facing foreclosure on his Beverly Hills home.
- In August 2008, Trump told The Los Angeles Times that it 'would be an honor' to help McMahon by purchasing the home.
- Later in August 2008, a spokesperson for McMahon confirmed that the home had been sold to a different private buyer, not Trump.
The players
Donald Trump
The former president of the United States who shared the viral social media post claiming he purchased Ed McMahon's home.
Ed McMahon
The television personality and comedian who was facing foreclosure on his Beverly Hills home in 2008.
Daniel Schryer
The real-estate investor who eventually purchased the mortgage on McMahon's home.
What they’re saying
“When dad was going to lose his house in Beverly Hills, Donald Trump said that he was going to buy it because he was such a big fan of dad's and he didn't want dad to lose the house. And of course that was a lie.”
— Claudia McMahon, Ed McMahon's daughter
“It 'would be an honor' to help the TV personality.”
— Donald Trump
The takeaway
This false claim about Trump's purported act of generosity towards Ed McMahon highlights the ongoing issue of misinformation on social media and the importance of fact-checking, especially around politically charged topics. The story was widely debunked by contemporaneous reporting and statements from McMahon's representatives, showing that while Trump expressed interest, the deal never materialized.
