In a fiery escalation of his long-running battle against elite academia, former U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a fresh wave of criticism at Harvard University, threatening to strip the prestigious institution of its tax-exempt status and cut off billions in federal funding.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, calling Harvard “a JOKE” that “teaches Hate and Stupidity,” and declaring it should no longer be considered among the world’s top universities. He accused the school of resisting accountability and pledged to end its access to government support.
“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning,” Trump posted. “It should not be on any list of the world’s great universities.”
This outburst comes after the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard and demanded sweeping reforms—including new auditing of academic departments, overhauls to student admissions and hiring policies, and greater government oversight.
Harvard President Alan Garber responded firmly, rejecting the pressure campaign: “We will not negotiate over our independence or our constitutional rights.”
The conflict is rooted in a broader culture war. The Trump administration claims its crackdown on higher education is a response to what it calls rampant antisemitism, citing campus protests over Israel’s war in Gaza and the university’s alleged failure to control pro-Palestinian sentiment.
Critics argue the administration is using the issue to clamp down on free speech and diversity initiatives. The White House has also targeted dozens of other schools, threatening to pull funding from institutions with race-conscious admission or hiring policies.
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