The Trump administration’s demand for sweeping reforms at Harvard University has taken a dramatic turn, with the world-renowned institution rebuffing the government’s efforts to dictate its academic policies.
In an exchange of letters between three Trump officials and Harvard president Alan Garber, the administration demanded that the university surrender its core academic freedoms, including installing viewpoint-diverse faculty members and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The demands were made under the guise of addressing alleged campus antisemitism following Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel.
However, critics argue that the White House is using this as a pretext to gut universities of their perceived liberal-left bias while employing antisemitism as an authoritarian power grab. Harvard’s response has bolstered by its significant financial endowment, estimated at $53.2 billion in 2024, which may shield it from federal cuts.
In a clear rebuke, Garber stated that the government’s intentions are “masked” and accused the administration of wanting to dictate what private universities can teach, admit, and hire. The university’s lawyers have also argued that the demands violate the First Amendment and the lawful authority of any administration.
The administration’s response included freezing $2.2 billion in grants and a $60 million contract. However, Harvard’s stand has sparked hopes among establishment figures that the Supreme Court may find the spine to take on the White House’s defiance.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/15/harvard-pushback-trump-administration