Harvard University rejects Trump administration threats
Obama calls calls demands an attempt to stifle academic freedom
Updated: 8:50 PM MDT Apr 15, 2025
PEYTON AND DARLENE, BACK TO YOU. COREY. THANK YOU. WELL, HARVARD UNIVERSITY IS DEFYING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ORDERS TO CHANGE HOW IT OPERATES. AND NOW MORE THAN $2 BILLION IN FUNDING IS FROZEN. AS REENA ROY REPORTS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A MAJOR UNIVERSITY HAS PUSHED BACK AGAINST FUNDING THREATS FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. PRESIDENT TRUMP THREATENING TO PULL NEARLY $9 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HARVARD UNIVERSITY UNLESS THE SCHOOL MAKES A SLEW OF CHANGES TO THE WAY IT’S RUN, THE ADMINISTRATION, ALREADY FREEZING MORE THAN $2 BILLION IN FEDERAL GRANT MONEY AFTER HARVARD REJECTED A LIST OF GOVERNMENT DEMANDS, INCLUDING OVERHAULING, HIRING AND ADMISSION PRACTICES. DEMANDING THE SCHOOL MAKE IT MERIT BASED. AND TODAY, TRUMP CALLING FOR HARVARD TO LOSE ITS TAX EXEMPT STATUS, SUGGESTING THE UNIVERSITY BE TAXED AS A POLITICAL ENTITY. WHAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS SAID IS, YOU KNOW, WE’RE GOING TO STAND ON OUR PRINCIPLE AND OUR LEGAL RIGHTS. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERING THE SCHOOL TO REPORT FOREIGN STUDENTS WHO COMMIT CONDUCT VIOLATIONS TO FEDERAL AUTHORITIES, SUBMIT TO AN AUDIT TO ENSURE ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS HAVE DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS AND ALL DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS SHARE HIRING DATA WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND SUBMIT TO AN AUDIT OF ADMISSIONS DATA. THE WHITE HOUSE ALSO CALLING FOR CORRECTION OF WHAT IT CALLS ANTISEMITISM ON CAMPUS, AN ISSUE HARVARD SAYS IT’S ALREADY ADDRESSED. HARVARD’S PRESIDENT, ALAN GARBER, SAYING IN A LETTER NO GOVERNMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHICH PARTY IS IN POWER, SHOULD DICTATE WHAT PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES CAN TEACH, WHOM THEY CAN ADMIT AND HIRE, AND WHICH AREAS OF STUDY AND INQUIRY THEY CAN PURSUE. GARBER SAYING THE LOSS OF FUNDING BASED ON POLICY CHOICES VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT. FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ISSUING A STATEMENT PRAISING HARVARD, CALLING TRUMP’S DEMANDS UNLAWFUL AND AN ATTEMPT TO STIFLE ACADEMIC FREEDOM. HE ALSO SAID HE HOPES OTHER SCHOOLS DO THE SAME. NOW, OTHER SCHOOLS LIKE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HERE IN NEW YORK HAVE CONCEDED TO A LIST OF DEMANDS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN AID WERE PAUSED. REEN
Harvard University rejects Trump administration threats
Obama calls calls demands an attempt to stifle academic freedom
Updated: 8:50 PM MDT Apr 15, 2025
Some universities have given in to threats from the Trump administration to make policy changes, but Harvard is having none of it — for now.Other schools, including Columbia University in New York City, have agreed to a list of demands or lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.ABC News reports that the White House is threatening to end nearly $9 million in federal funding unless the school makes changes in the way it’s run. These include reporting foreign students who challenge federal authorities, ensuring that academic departments teach diverse viewpoints, sharing hiring data, auditing admissions data, and ending all programs promoting diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI).As for a demand that Harvard end what the Trump administration says is antisemitism on campus, Harvard president Alan Garber said that has already been addressed. He also said that no government of either party “should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”Former president Barack Obama, a graduate of both Harvard College and its law school, called the Trump demands an “unlawful” attempt to curb academic freedom and hopes other schools will follow Harvard’s example.
Some universities have given in to threats from the Trump administration to make policy changes, but Harvard is having none of it — for now.
Other schools, including Columbia University in New York City, have agreed to a list of demands or lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.
ABC News reports that the White House is threatening to end nearly $9 million in federal funding unless the school makes changes in the way it’s run. These include reporting foreign students who challenge federal authorities, ensuring that academic departments teach diverse viewpoints, sharing hiring data, auditing admissions data, and ending all programs promoting diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI).
As for a demand that Harvard end what the Trump administration says is antisemitism on campus, Harvard president Alan Garber said that has already been addressed. He also said that no government of either party “should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
Former president Barack Obama, a graduate of both Harvard College and its law school, called the Trump demands an “unlawful” attempt to curb academic freedom and hopes other schools will follow Harvard’s example.
