‘Harvard is a joke’: Donald Trump’s fresh salvo at Ivy League giant
Apr 16, 2025 05:34 PM IST
‘Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning,’ said Trump in a Truth Social post.
In a fresh attack on Harvard University, which is considered one of the world’s most elite educational institutions, US President Donald Trump said that the university has become “a joke” and “should no longer receive Federal Funds.”
Donald Trump said Harvard University should no longer receive Federal Funds.(AP)
“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
“Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.”
Trump’s remarks come amid a funding standoff between the US administration and top university Harvard that has become a focal point of his war against elite educational institutions.
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On Tuesday, Trump threatened to strip the university of its tax-exempt status as a nonprofit educational institution, hours after freezing $2.2 billion in federal funding.
The White House has also strong-armed dozens of universities and colleges with threats to remove federal funding over their policies meant to encourage racial diversity among students and staff.
Trump has demanded that the university change the way it runs itself, including how it selects students and its hiring practices, and that it submit itself to “audits” of academic programs and departments.
However, Harvard University refused to accept a deal with the Trump administration, saying it would not “negotiate over its independence or its constitutional rights,” resulting in the loss of its federal funding.
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The US president and his administration have justified their pressure campaign on universities as a reaction to what they say is uncontrolled anti-Semitism and support for the Palestinian armed group Hamas.
Here are Trump’s key demands:
Governance and leadership reformsMerit-Based Hiring ReformMerit-Based Admissions Reform.International Admissions ReformViewpoint Diversity in Admissions and HiringReforming Programs with Egregious Records of Antisemitism or Other BiasDiscontinuation of DEI (diversity, equity, and
inclusion.)
Student Discipline Reform and AccountabilityWhistleblower Reporting and ProtectionsTransparency and Monitoring 
