US President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration will strip the tax-exempt status of Harvard University, which has refused to concede to his demands regarding hiring, administration and speech regulation.
“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” Trump said in a post on his social media platform.
The Trump administration has intensified pressure on Harvard University over what it calls antisemitism linked to pro-Palestinian protests on campus following Israel’s military operations in Gaza after the October 2023 Hamas attack.
In recent weeks, it launched a formal review into nearly $9 billion in federal funding for the university, demanded a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, and pushed for a crackdown on some pro-Palestinian groups and the use of masks during protests.
The administration has also pressed Harvard for more transparency on its foreign ties, threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status, and warned of ending its ability to enrol foreign students.
Earlier in April, Harvard rejected several of the Trump administration’s demands, describing them as an attack on free speech and academic freedom. The university then sued the administration after it suspended around $2.3 billion in federal funding, while committing to address discrimination on campus.
Story continues below this ad
The Trump administration has issued similar threats to other educational institutions over issues including DEI policies, climate initiatives, transgender rights, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Protesting groups, including some Jewish ones, argue the administration is conflating criticism of Israel’s actions with antisemitism, and advocacy for Palestinian rights with extremism.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Expand