Trump Calls for “Joke” Harvard to Be Stripped of US Federal Funding

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday labeled Harvard University a “joke” and called for the prestigious institution to lose its federal research funding after it rejected demands for external political oversight.

The Trump administration also threatened to bar Harvard from accepting international students unless it complies with its conditions. US media outlets reported that officials are now considering revoking the university’s tax-exempt status.

“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World's Great Universities or Colleges,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, “Harvard is a JOKE, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.”

Trump's criticism stems from the university’s refusal to submit to government control over its admissions policies, hiring practices, and political orientation. While other institutions, such as Columbia University, have accepted less sweeping oversight, Harvard has firmly pushed back.

University President Alan Garber affirmed that Harvard will not “negotiate over its independence or its constitutional rights.”

Earlier this week, Trump ordered the freezing of $2.2 billion in federal funding allocated to Harvard, much of it supporting its leading medical and scientific research programs. On Tuesday, he called for Harvard to lose its nonprofit "Tax Exempt Status" if it does not comply.

According to reports from CNN and The Washington Post, the Internal Revenue Service [IRS] is preparing to act on Trump’s request. However, White House Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields emphasized in an email to AFP that “any forthcoming actions by the IRS will be conducted independently of the President.”