Last week, the federal government told Harvard it must reform its admissions and hiring practices, make leadership changes, probe departments for antisemitism and ban face masks if it wants to keep government funding.
Harvard refused, with university president Alan Garber accusing the government of targeting student and faculty political views they disagree with:
“Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the 'intellectual conditions’ at Harvard … we will not accept their proposed agreement. The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.”
The Trump administration responded with a freeze on $2 billion in grants.
“More than $2 billion out the door to Harvard when they have a more than $50 billion endowment,” Leavitt said Tuesday. “Why are the American taxpayers subsidizing a university that has billions in the bank already? And we certainly should not be funding a place where such grave antisemitism exists.”
Trump followed with a tax day threat:
“Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?'” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!
Democrats, who fumed after Columbia University agreed to some Trump administration demands in order to maintain its federal funding, cheered Harvard for taking a stand.
“Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom, while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and mutual respect,” former President Obama posted on X. “Let’s hope other institutions follow suit.”
