Trump Clashes with Harvard Over Antisemitism Demands

President Donald Trump threatened to revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt status after his administration froze over $2 billion in federal funding, citing the university's refusal to comply with demands to change its hiring, admissions, and teaching practices to combat antisemitism. Harvard rejected the demands, stating they would compromise its independence and free speech. The university's tax-exempt status is valuable, and losing it could cost millions annually. Trump claimed that Harvard's actions were "political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting 'Sickness'" and that tax-exempt status is contingent on acting in the public interest. The White House said Trump wants Harvard to apologize for tolerating antisemitism.

President Donald Trump is engaged in a high-stakes confrontation with Harvard University and other elite institutions, driven by a broader effort to challenge liberal power centers and extend his populist ideology to higher education. Harvard President Alan Garber refused to comply with administration demands, citing the university's independence and constitutional rights. Trump's administration has made sweeping demands, including audits of programs allegedly tainted by antisemitism, elimination of diversity and inclusion initiatives, and crackdowns on student protests. Critics argue that the administration's motives go beyond addressing antisemitism, aiming to exert control over what is taught on campuses and suppress dissenting views. The showdown is likely to end up in court, with Trump's administration facing opposition from academics and Democrats who see the moves as an attack on academic freedom and the country's leading research institutions.

President Trump is freezing federal funds for Harvard University and other institutions after they refused to comply with his demands on hiring, admissions, and curriculum. The practice of federal funding for universities began around World War II, and today colleges rely on billions of dollars for financial aid and research. Harvard alone receives $9 billion. The funding freezes have caused work stoppages, cut contracts, and imperiled medical research, affecting studies on cancer, diabetes, and other diseases. Universities have their own funds, but much of that money comes with restrictions on how it can be used. Harvard's rejection of Trump's demands could be an inflection point in his attack on US academia, and other universities will watch to see how the situation unfolds.

Harvard University decided to resist demands from the Trump administration to reshape its operations, admissions, hiring, faculty, and student life, citing a threat to its independence and mission. The administration's demands, which included reducing the faculty's power, adopting "merit-based" admissions and hiring policies, and auditing university data, were seen as overly intrusive and broad. Harvard's president, Alan M. Garber, rejected the demands in an open letter, stating that "the university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights." The Trump administration retaliated by freezing over $2.2 billion in federal funding and threatening Harvard's tax-exempt status. Harvard's decision to fight back was seen as a bold move, and its leaders are wagering that the institution can outlast the Trump administration's crusade.