Trump Sharpens Attack On Harvard As University Rejects Campus Control Demands

Tensions between the White House and America’s top universities are reaching a boiling point. President Donald Trump has renewed attacks on Harvard University, threatening to revoke its tax-exempt status and cut federal funding if it fails to comply with demands over campus protest policies. The flashpoint? Pro-Palestinian protests that rocked college campuses after the 2023 Hamas attacks and Israel’s Gaza retaliation. The Trump administration accused universities—especially Harvard—of enabling antisemitism and ignoring violations of protest rules. But Harvard refused to back down, calling the federal demands unlawful and a violation of the First Amendment. The university has now become a symbol of resistance. President Alan Garber issued a strong statement asserting Harvard’s constitutional rights, and other elite institutions like Princeton and Stanford have rallied behind it. Even former President Obama praised Harvard’s stand. Legal experts call this a “game-changer” in the battle over academic freedom and government pressure. Meanwhile, Columbia University complied with the administration’s demands after losing $400 million in grants—raising the stakes even further. As politics, protest, and policy collide, this showdown is shaping the future of American campuses.