Off The Record
Obama Slams Trump’s $2.3B Harvard Funding Freeze
It’s no secret that Donald Trump doesn’t particularly like America’s best universities, and Barack Obama’s perception of Trump is obviously no different. However, many believe that the former president’s most recent remark may be his most scathing to date.
”I have deep differences of opinion…”
Barack Obama and Donald Trump’s ideological differences are still as great as ever, although they were pictured laughing together when seated together at Jimmy Carter’s funeral service.
Earlier this month, Obama made candid remarks about his former successor, the current president, at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.
”I have deep differences of opinion with my most immediate successor — who’s now president once again,” Obama said during his speech.
He went on to say, ”There are a host of policies that we could be discussing where I have strong opinions,” adding that he believes the government’s dedication to core values has “eroded.”
Obama is also obviously not happy with the way the Trump administration is handling Harvard University, which he has a close relationship with because he graduated from Harvard Law School.
The Department of Education’s decision to freeze an astounding $2.3 billion in federal funds for Harvard is the source of the issue. The Trump administration took this action in response to the university’s refusal to comply with a set of demands.
Harvard has resisted implementing merit-based hiring and admissions reforms, banning masks at campus protests, dismantling its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and reducing the influence of its administrators and faculty, whom the Republican administration has charged are “more committed to activism than scholarship.”
”The University will not surrender”
The White House asserts that it delivered the demands to Harvard last week with the intention of addressing campus antisemitism. The suggested modifications focused on important areas such course content, admissions procedures, and faculty hiring methods.
Harvard President Alan M. Garber made it clear on Monday that the Ivy League institution won’t back down, stating, “The University will not surrender its independence or its constitutional rights.”
Harvard is apparently the first prestigious American university to resist the White House’s requests, CNN reports.
Barack Obama has entered the Harvard vs. Trump debate, and his remarks are causing a stir.
The former president has put his support behind his alma mater, denouncing what he regards as a political overreach, as tensions between Harvard University and the Trump administration continue to grow over the government’s attempt to withhold billions of dollars in funding.
“Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions—rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and mutual respect,” Obama writes on X.
“Let’s hope other institutions follow suit.”
This conflict between Harvard and the Trump administration has spurred a national dialogue about the future of American higher education, not simply about antisemitism or protests on campuses. A basic question lies at the center of it all: Who has the authority to determine what is taught, how it is taught, and who is allowed in the classroom?
Other universities are under increasing pressure to choose a side as Harvard continues to defend academic freedom and as leaders like Barack Obama support the university. Will they oppose political meddling and take Harvard’s example? Or will they give in to pressure from both parties and federal funds?
Now Trending:
- Trump’s Tariff Plan Could Trigger Price Hikes—Here Are 10 Products To Buy Before It’s Too Late
- If Trump Makes One “Unpredictable” Move, He “Could Be Removed” From The White House
- Elon Musk Responds After Being Accused Of Making A “Nazi Gesture” At The Inauguration Celebrations
Please SHARE this story with Family and Friends and let us know what you think!
