'Harvard is a JOKE; can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning': Trump

Washington: US President Donald Trump renewed his attack Wednesday on top university Harvard, whose federal funding and tax-exempt status he has threatened to remove over its refusal to submit to wide-ranging government oversight.

"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 said on his Truth Social platform. "Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds."

A few days back, Harvard University rejected the Trump administration's demand to prohibit protests and cut DEI programs to receive funding.

Harvard University has filed a landmark federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of using federal funding as a weapon to undermine academic freedom and push a politically charged agenda. The legal fight erupted after the administration froze $2.26 billion in grants and contracts to Harvard and signalled plans to cut up to $9 billion unless the university complied with controversial conditions.

At the heart of the dispute are demands to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, eliminate race-conscious admissions, collaborate more closely with federal immigration authorities, and impose new controls on student-led activism. The Trump administration has framed these actions as part of a broader crackdown on what it calls “woke” policies in elite institutions.

Harvard’s interim president, Alan Garber, responded forcefully, warning that such interference breaches constitutional protections, particularly the First Amendment and the principle of due process. The university's lawsuit asserts that the administration's tactics violate civil rights laws by attempting to coerce political compliance from a private academic institution.

Legal experts say this case could have sweeping implications for the autonomy of educational institutions across the United States. If Harvard prevails, it may reaffirm limits on the federal government's ability to dictate ideological terms to universities through financial leverage. 

Conversely, if the Trump administration succeeds, it could open the door for expanded federal control over campus policy nationwide.