Trump escalates fight against Harvard

(The Daily Signal) – President Donald Trump made a new announcement about how the federal government would treat Harvard University in a post Friday.

“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” the president posted on Truth Social.

In April, Trump had floated the idea of Harvard losing its tax-exempt status.

“Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” Trump wrote on Truth Social April 15.

“Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!”

Last month, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal government grants given to Harvard, which then sued.

“The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Harvard President Alan Garber told the Harvard community, adding, “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.”

White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields told The New York Times, “The gravy train of federal assistance to institutions like Harvard, which enrich their grossly overpaid bureaucrats with tax dollars from struggling American families, is coming to an end.”

“Taxpayer funds are a privilege, and Harvard fails to meet the basic conditions required to access that privilege,” he added.

On Thursday night, while addressing University of Alabama graduates, Trump referred to the Ivy League university. 

“It is clear to see the next chapter of the American story will not be written by the Harvard Crimson It will be written by you, the Crimson Tide,” Trump said, alluding to Harvard’s student newspaper and a nickname for the University of Alabama’s football team.