US President Donald Trump to take away Harvard’s tax exempt status: ‘It’s what they deserve!’ | World News
US President Donald Trump on Friday said his adminration will strip the tax-exempt status of Harvard University, which has refused to concede to his demands regarding hiring, adminration and speech regulation.
“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” Trump said in a post on his social media platform.
The Trump adminration has intensified pressure on Harvard University over what it calls antisemitism linked to pro-Palestinian protests on campus following Israel’s military operations in Gaza after the October 2023 Hamas attack.
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In recent weeks, it launched a formal review into nearly $9 billion in federal funding for the university, demanded a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, and pushed for a crackdown on some pro-Palestinian groups and the use of masks during protests.
The adminration has also pressed Harvard for more transparency on its foreign ties, threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status, and warned of ending its ability to enrol foreign students.
Earlier in April, Harvard rejected several of the Trump adminration’s demands, describing them as an attack on free speech and academic freedom. The university then sued the adminration after it suspended around $2.3 billion in federal funding, while committing to address discrimination on campus.Story continues below this ad
The Trump adminration has issued similar threats to other educational institutions over issues including DEI policies, climate initiatives, transgender rights, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Protesting groups, including some Jewish ones, argue the adminration is conflating criticism of Israel’s actions with antisemitism, and advocacy for Palestinian rights with extremism.
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