Harvard Rejects Trump Administration’s Extortion

The New York Times reports:

Harvard University said on Monday that it had rejected policy changes requested by the Trump administration that would have placed “unprecedented” demands on the institution, setting up a showdown between the administration and the nation’s wealthiest university.

A letter to Harvard from the Trump administration on Friday demanded that the university reduce the power of students and faculty members over the university’s affairs; report foreign students who commit conduct violations immediately to federal authorities; and bring in an outside party to ensure that each academic department is “viewpoint diverse,” among other steps.

“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” said Alan Garber, Harvard’s president, in a statement to the university on Monday.

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Congratulations to Harvard for refusing to relinquish its constitutional rights to Trump’s authoritarianism.

Other universities should follow their lead.

And instead of doing pro bono work for Trump, cowardly law firms should be defending those who believe in the rule of law.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 14, 2025

Harvard will not comply with the Trump administration’s demands to alter its truth-seeking mission or its commitment to fairness. I’m proud of Harvard and its leaders. This is the moment to max out in giving to Harvard — to fill the gap Trump will create. https://t.co/ItPuSU3CKs

— Laurence Tribe 🇺🇦 ⚖️ (@tribelaw) April 14, 2025