Over the course of this semester, I have written numerous articles outlining how the Trump administration is threatening free speech, specifically within higher education. He threatened and is now in the process of deporting students who are on visas based on their viewpoint. He threatened to revoke $500 million of funding from Columbia University unless they headed his demands to increase oversight of certain academic departments. They caved.
Trump has moved his sights to Harvard University. The Trump administration threatened billions of dollars in federal funding unless Harvard changes certain admissions policies, eliminates policies the government considers to be DEI, stops recognizing certain student clubs, and increases its efforts to combat antisemitism.
Perhaps what is the most concerning request is the Trump administration’s demand for Harvard to submit a quarterly report to the federal government outlining how it is changing their existing policies to fit the ideological demands of the Trump administration as well as “all requested immigration and related information” to the government. Additionally, Trump has floated the idea of eliminating Harvard’s position as a tax-exempt entity. This scale of attack on a university is unprecedented and is yet another way Trump is expanding the reach of executive power.
Luckily, Harvard is fighting back. They released a letter last week that informed the Trump administration that Harvard will not cave to their demands. This is the first university to fully stand up to the Trump administration’s efforts to exert control over higher education.
Trump and Vice President Vance continually tout how they are warriors of free speech, fighting to uphold the First Amendment. The Trump letter to Harvard could not be more antithetical to free speech and expression. Harvard must continue to hold its ground even if Trump threatens to escalate the situation. If Harvard loses this battle, other colleges will certainly fall in line with whatever Trump demands. I would not be surprised if, after Harvard and other major universities, Trump targets smaller liberal arts colleges, like Dickinson, under the veil of combating antisemitism or eliminating “woke” education.
The Trump administration is engaging in dangerous territory. While it might seem hyperbolic, these are the initial steps that autocratic regimes take to exert full control over all aspects of society. It is important to be aware of these actions. Harvard must continue to fight back against his demands to protect not just the Ivy League, but all of higher education.
