Trump threats Harvard University with a forthcoming "hard hit" or "tough action"
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In an intensifying dispute with Harvard University, President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric, calling on the institution to "behave" and pledging that it will face consequences for its perceived disrespect towards the US. The university is currently embroiled in a legal battle over the rights to accept international students, having already lost billions in federal funds due to government intervention.
Responding to a question from a journalist at the White House, Trump expressed his displeasure with Harvard, stating, "Harvard needs to straighten up. They're treating our country with great disregard and isolating themselves more and more." He added that he wants Harvard to "be great again," but instead, the university is exhibiting a "propensity to fight."
The Trump administration has targeted several universities it deems left-leaning as part of an effort to curb diversity programs and other initiatives. The administration alleges that these universities tolerate anti-Semitic incidents on campus and have staged pro-Palestinian protests, justifications that critics claim are being used as a pretext to harass politically inconvenient institutions. However, the current developments in the dispute between Harvard and the administration predominantly revolve around policies related to international students rather than anti-Semitic protests.
In mid-May, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) for allegedly failing to comply with information requests about international students. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order on May 24 to block the administration from revoking Harvard's certification, allowing the university to continue enrolling international students. The judge also indicated plans to grant a preliminary injunction, preventing the administration from restricting foreign students at Harvard. The Trump administration has offered Harvard a 30-day reprieve to contest the revocation, during which the university can present evidence to rebut the decision. Harvard is currently suing the administration over the matter, arguing that the revocation is unwarranted.
Sources: ntv.de, mau/dpa
- Amidst the ongoing spat with Harvard University, the European Union, committed to a common policy on the environment, education-and-self-development, and politics, urges for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing dispute, emphasizing the importance of global academic freedom as a general news topic.
- As the legal battle between the Trump administration and Harvard over the rights to accept international students unfolds, educational institutions worldwide track this development as a significant case study in politics and international relations, highlighting the growing concerns about the rising trend of using student policies as weapons in political battles, a topic pertaining to general news and self-development.
