This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/apr/16/trump-harvard-funding-threat-latest
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Harvard sets up showdown with Trump as more universities rally in support | |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| President calls elite university a ‘joke’ and threatens to strip it of tax-exempt status as $2bn in funding frozen | |
| Donald Trump has declared that Harvard University should no longer receive federal funds, calling the pre-eminent university in the US a “joke” that “teaches hate and stupidity”. | Donald Trump has declared that Harvard University should no longer receive federal funds, calling the pre-eminent university in the US a “joke” that “teaches hate and stupidity”. |
| Harvard made headlines on Monday by becoming the first university to stand up against a series of onerous demands from the Trump administration, setting the stage for a showdown between the federal government and one of the US’s most prestigious institutions. | Harvard made headlines on Monday by becoming the first university to stand up against a series of onerous demands from the Trump administration, setting the stage for a showdown between the federal government and one of the US’s most prestigious institutions. |
| The Trump administration swiftly retaliated by announcing it would freeze more than $2bn in multiyear grants and contracts with the university. | The Trump administration swiftly retaliated by announcing it would freeze more than $2bn in multiyear grants and contracts with the university. |
| Numerous Democratic politicians and top universities across the country have rallied in support of Harvard, but the Trump administration has doubled down, threatening to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status and insisting that the university apologize. | Numerous Democratic politicians and top universities across the country have rallied in support of Harvard, but the Trump administration has doubled down, threatening to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status and insisting that the university apologize. |
| As part of an ongoing government review of various universities over allegations of antisemitism following the student-led campus protests against the war in Gaza last year, the Trump administration sent a letter to Harvard University on Friday outlining a list of demands it must meet in order to “maintain Harvard’s financial relationship with the federal government”. | As part of an ongoing government review of various universities over allegations of antisemitism following the student-led campus protests against the war in Gaza last year, the Trump administration sent a letter to Harvard University on Friday outlining a list of demands it must meet in order to “maintain Harvard’s financial relationship with the federal government”. |
| It demanded Harvard close all diversity, equity and inclusion programs; share various admission details with the government; report foreign students who commit conduct violations to federal authorities; commission an outside party to audit each academic department to make sure the student body, faculty, staff and leadership is “viewpoint diverse”; and more. | It demanded Harvard close all diversity, equity and inclusion programs; share various admission details with the government; report foreign students who commit conduct violations to federal authorities; commission an outside party to audit each academic department to make sure the student body, faculty, staff and leadership is “viewpoint diverse”; and more. |
| On Monday, Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, responded that the university would not yield to the government’s demands, describing them as “an attempt to control the Harvard community”. | On Monday, Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, responded that the university would not yield to the government’s demands, describing them as “an attempt to control the Harvard community”. |
| “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” he said. “The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s first amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge.” | “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” he said. “The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s first amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge.” |
| He added: “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.” | He added: “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.” |
| Other universities responded quickly. In a statement on Tuesday, the acting president of Columbia University said that it would “reject any agreement in which the government dictates what we teach, research, or who we hire”. | Other universities responded quickly. In a statement on Tuesday, the acting president of Columbia University said that it would “reject any agreement in which the government dictates what we teach, research, or who we hire”. |
| This comes after Columbia agreed to several demands from the administration last month after the White House pulled $400m of research grants and other funding from the school over its handling of the protests against the war in Gaza. | This comes after Columbia agreed to several demands from the administration last month after the White House pulled $400m of research grants and other funding from the school over its handling of the protests against the war in Gaza. |
| “To put minds at ease,” Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, wrote on Tuesday, “though we seek to continue constructive dialogue with the government, we would reject any agreement that would require us to relinquish our independence and autonomy as an educational institution.” | “To put minds at ease,” Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, wrote on Tuesday, “though we seek to continue constructive dialogue with the government, we would reject any agreement that would require us to relinquish our independence and autonomy as an educational institution.” |
| The president of Stanford University, Jonathan Levin, and the school’s provost, Jenny Martinez, also released a statement in response to Harvard’s decision, praising the university. | The president of Stanford University, Jonathan Levin, and the school’s provost, Jenny Martinez, also released a statement in response to Harvard’s decision, praising the university. |
| “Universities need to address legitimate criticisms with humility and openness,” Levin and Martinez wrote. “But the way to bring about constructive change is not by destroying the nation’s capacity for scientific research, or through the government taking command of a private institution.” | “Universities need to address legitimate criticisms with humility and openness,” Levin and Martinez wrote. “But the way to bring about constructive change is not by destroying the nation’s capacity for scientific research, or through the government taking command of a private institution.” |
| Christopher Eisgruber, the president of Princeton University, also weighed in. “Princeton stands with Harvard,” he wrote. “I encourage everyone to read President Alan Garber’s powerful letter in full.” | Christopher Eisgruber, the president of Princeton University, also weighed in. “Princeton stands with Harvard,” he wrote. “I encourage everyone to read President Alan Garber’s powerful letter in full.” |
| So did Barack Obama. “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,” the former president wrote. “Let’s hope other institutions follow suit.” | So did Barack Obama. “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,” the former president wrote. “Let’s hope other institutions follow suit.” |
| Maura Healey, the governor of Massachusetts, where Harvard is located, also praised the university for “standing against the Trump Administration’s brazen attempt to bully schools and weaponize the US Department of Justice under the false pretext of civil rights”. | Maura Healey, the governor of Massachusetts, where Harvard is located, also praised the university for “standing against the Trump Administration’s brazen attempt to bully schools and weaponize the US Department of Justice under the false pretext of civil rights”. |
| In response, Trump threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status. Most universities in the US are exempt from federal income tax under the US tax code because they are considered to be “operated exclusively” for public educational purposes. | In response, Trump threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status. Most universities in the US are exempt from federal income tax under the US tax code because they are considered to be “operated exclusively” for public educational purposes. |
| Later on Tuesday, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters that Trump “wants to see Harvard apologize”. | Later on Tuesday, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters that Trump “wants to see Harvard apologize”. |
| Then on Wednesday morning, Trump took to social media again to attack Harvard on his social media platform, Truth Social. | Then on Wednesday morning, Trump took to social media again to attack Harvard on his social media platform, Truth Social. |
| “Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds,” Trump wrote in the lengthy post. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!” | “Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds,” Trump wrote in the lengthy post. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!” |