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Washington — A collective of hundreds of U.S. universities and colleges, comprising prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, MIT, Cornell, and Tufts, published a joint statement on Tuesday denouncing President Trump’s alleged “political interference” in American higher education.
This announcement follows Harvard University’s legal action against the Trump administration, which initiated a funding halt of $2.2 billion, later indicating a freeze on an additional $1 billion in grants. This escalation was the result of Harvard’s refusal to comply with the administration’s demands for changes in its policies and leadership, particularly regarding the auditing of the diversity of viewpoints among its student body and faculty.
“With one voice, we oppose the unprecedented overreach by the government that threatens the integrity of higher education in the U.S.,” the institutions stated in their letter.
The letter emphasized the willingness of these educational establishments to consider legitimate governmental oversight but strongly condemned any unwarranted intrusions, asserting: “The coercive use of public research funding must be rejected.”
President Trump has targeted several elite universities for alleged tolerance of antisemitism on campuses, threatening their budgets, tax-exempt status, and the admission of international students.
The joint statement underlined the commitment of these colleges and universities to foster environments where “faculty, students, and staff can freely exchange ideas and opinions across a full spectrum of viewpoints without fear of censorship, retaliation, or deportation.”
“At its core,” the letter articulated, “American higher education plays a crucial role in cultivating an informed citizenry essential for the sustenance of our democracy.”
The letter cautioned that undermining the fundamental freedoms of U.S. higher education would ultimately disadvantage both students and society. “On behalf of our current and future students, and all individuals associated with our institutions, we advocate for constructive engagement aimed at enhancing our educational systems and serving our nation,” it concluded.
In his confrontations with universities, President Trump has also threatened to withdraw federal funding from other institutions beyond Harvard, particularly targeting their diversity initiatives aimed at promoting inclusivity among students and staff.
Additionally, the administration has launched an extensive immigration crackdown that includes foreign students, framing its stance as a response to soaring “antisemitism” and a bid to dismantle diversity programs designed to rectify historical inequalities faced by minority groups.
The White House has claimed that protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which surged across U.S. college campuses last year, were saturated with antisemitic rhetoric. In response, many universities, including Harvard, enacted measures to curb these protests amidst the allegations.
Several prominent institutions, such as Columbia University, have acquiesced to demands from the Trump administration, which argues that the academic elite’s prevailing ideologies are excessively progressive.
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