Harvard has urged universities to stand firm against Donald Trump as the White House moves to direct its agencies to cut all federal ties with the Ivy League college.
In another escalation in the conflict between the White House and America’s oldest university, Harvard president Alan Garber blasted Trump’s actions as “perplexing” and called on higher education institutions to double down on their convictions.
“I would say that we need to be firm in our commitments to what we stand for,” he told NPR’s Morning Edition program.
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“In the end, we’re about producing and disseminating knowledge and serving our nation and our world. When we fail in that, then we can expect to be attacked.
“So number one, I think we all need to redouble our commitment to the good of the nation and the world, and I know my fellow leaders fully embrace that.”
The comments came as the Trump administration moves to cancel the federal government’s remaining federal contracts with Harvard University, worth about $100 million.
According to a letter from the U.S. General Services Administration, seen by The Daily Beast, the White House accuses Harvard of continuing “to engage in race discrimination, including in its admissions process and in other areas of student life.
“GSA is also aware of recent events at Harvard University involving anti-Semitic action that suggest the institution has a disturbing lack of concern for the safety and wellbeing of Jewish students,” the May 27 letter says.
As such, federal agencies have been instructed to “find alternative vendors for future services where you had previously considered Harvard.”
The planned move, which is in addition to about $2.65 billion in recent federal cuts to Harvard, is the White House’s latest salvo against America’s oldest university, which it has accused of liberal bias and of allowing antisemitic behavior on campus.
Harvard has refused government demands to hand over foreign students’ entire conduct records and allow audits to confirm it has expanded “viewpoint diversity” on campus.
However, Garber said his institution had made “substantial progress at the campus” over the past year and found Trump’s actions to be “perplexing.
“I don’t know fully what the motivations are, but I do know that there are people who are fighting a cultural battle,” he said.
“Why cut off research funding?” he asked. “Sure, it hurts Harvard, but it hurts the country because after all, the research funding is not a gift… It is hard to see the link between that and, say, antisemitism.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment about its plans, much of which Harvard has pushed back on vigorously in the courts.
In one lawsuit filed last month, Harvard sought to restore $3 billion in federal funding, and in another filed last week, it asked a judge to restore its right to enroll international students.
Harvard has about 6,800 foreign students from 100 different countries, making up about a quarter of its student population.
Trump’s bid to stop international students from attending the university also left other countries reeling last week.
In Belgium, the Royal Palace revealed that 23-year-old Princess Elisabeth, who is first in line to the throne, is now waiting to learn whether she can return to the Ivy League college to complete the second year of her graduate school program.
In China, which has been accused by White House officials of trying to exploit Harvard, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning lashed out against the so-called “politicization” of education, telling reporters that America’s actions would undoubtedly affect its image and credibility.
And in Washington, as consular staff began fielding calls from those caught in the crossfire, Kevin Rudd, the former Australian Prime Minister turned Ambassador to the US, described Trump’s decision as “distressing for Harvard’s many Australian students.”
