SAN DIEGO — A judge on Friday approved an agreement for President Trump to pay $25 million to settle lawsuits over his now-defunct Trump University, ending nearly seven years of legal battles with customers who claimed they were misled by failed promises to teach success in real estate.

The ruling by US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego settles two class-action lawsuits and a civil lawsuit by Eric Schneiderman, New York’s attorney general.

Trump had vowed never to settle but said after the election that he didn’t have time for a trial, even though he believed he would have prevailed.

Under terms of the settlement, he admits no wrongdoing.

Neither the White House nor Trump’s attorneys immediately responded to requests for comment.

The lawsuits alleged that Trump University gave nationwide seminars that were like infomercials, constantly pressuring people to spend more and, in the end, failing to deliver.

The controversy dogged the Republican businessman throughout the campaign as rivals used Trump’s depositions and extensive documents filed in the lawsuits to portray him as dishonest and deceitful.

Trump brought more attention by repeatedly assailing Curiel, insinuating that the Indiana-born judge’s Mexican heritage exposed a bias.

Attorneys say former customers will get at least 90 percent of their money back, based on the roughly 3,730 claims submitted.

The attorneys waived their fees, and Schneiderman contributed $1.6 million of his $4 million portion of the settlement to the customers, raising their payouts.

Schneiderman, a Democrat, said Friday’s ruling ‘‘will provide relief — and hopefully much-needed closure — to the victims of Donald Trump’s fraudulent university.’’

Attorneys for the former customers praised the settlement after an hourlong hearing Thursday before Curiel.

The attorneys said it would allow customers to retire debt-free and overcome other financial obstacles.