Former U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his confrontation with Harvard University, threatening to revoke billions in government grants and redirect the funds to trade schools across the country.
In a series of messages posted on Memorial Day, Trump accused the prestigious Ivy League institution of being “very antisemitic” and pledged to prevail in what he described as a showdown.
“I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard, and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land,” Trump stated, though he did not provide specifics on how such a move would be implemented.
Further escalating his rhetoric, Trump called for a list of Harvard’s foreign students, alleging that many were “radicalized lunatics” and “troublemakers” who should not be allowed back into the country. “But have no fear, the Government will, in the end, WIN!” he added.
Tensions between Trump and Harvard have been mounting in recent days. His administration previously attempted to bar the university from admitting foreign students, but that effort was temporarily halted on Friday when a judge suspended the order pending a hearing.
Trump’s latest remarks come amid broader attacks on American academic institutions and media, which he accuses of pushing liberal ideologies. In his conflict with Harvard alone, the Trump administration has placed $9 billion in federal funding under scrutiny and has already frozen $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts. A Harvard Medical School researcher has also reportedly been targeted for deportation as part of the clampdown.
What you should know
Trump is accusing Harvard of antisemitism and threatening to cut off billions in federal funding. His clash with the university marks a broader campaign against institutions he believes promote liberal values and resist federal oversight, with foreign students and academic funding in the crosshairs.
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