Nationwide — President Donald Trump has demanded an apology from Harvard College and warned he could revoke its tax-exempt standing. This got here after Harvard rejected his administration’s demands to cancel its DEI applications or danger shedding federal funding.
Trump has criticized U.S. universities for selling what he calls anti-American, antisemitic, and Marxist concepts. He not too long ago threatened to chop federal grants to colleges, together with Harvard, for not assembly his administration’s calls for.
On social media, Trump mentioned Harvard helps “political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired illness” and hinted at eradicating its tax advantages, based on Reuters.
White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned Trump desires Harvard to apologize for alleged antisemitism on campus. She additionally accused the varsity of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bans discrimination by federally funded establishments. Nevertheless, any lower to funding would require a proper investigation, which has not but occurred.
Harvard President Alan Garber rejected the calls for, calling them a menace to free speech and tutorial freedom. Garber defended the college’s efforts to fight antisemitism whereas preserving tutorial freedom.
The Trump administration has already frozen greater than $2 billion in contracts and grants to Harvard, although particular particulars haven’t been disclosed. Princeton and Stanford have expressed help for Harvard’s place, defending tutorial independence.
In the meantime, Columbia College school have filed a authorized problem in opposition to the administration’s actions. A decide has ordered the federal government to reply by Could 1st.
