Harvard’s Stand Against Trump Offers Lesson to U.S. Leaders
President Trump’s aggressive stance toward higher education prompted a response from Harvard and other institutions, demonstrating that yielding to such pressure is not a viable long-term strategy.
Some leaders initially seemed to give in to Trump’s demands, only to find that he reportedly backtracked on agreements and sought further concessions. Even institutions like , who tried to appease Trump, saw those agreements fall apart. History suggests that appeasement fails when it is perceived as weakness or surrender.
The Trump administration’s attacks on American colleges and universities included demands made to Harvard University in an . Harvard’s refusal led to the of federal research funds and threats to its tax-exempt status.
This attempt to control a private institution has galvanized support for the independence of higher education. The opposition extends beyond academia. Even critics of higher education and Trump allies believe he is overreaching. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board criticized the move in an titled “Trump Tries to Run Harvard,” stating, “There are good reasons to oppose this unprecedented attempt by government to micromanage a private university…Many of his demands on the school exceed his power under the Constitution.” Similarly, FIRE, a frequent critic of Harvard, deemed the demands “unconstitutional” and urged Harvard to stand firm.
Trump’s actions against Harvard, and Harvard’s resistance, may be influencing public opinion. A Morning Consult survey of 114,000 adults indicates that favorability toward the school has increased since Trump took office. Furthermore, alumni pride and have grown since the attacks.
Unjustified attacks on higher education and disregard for due process weaken both intellectual creativity and the contributions of universities to American society. Higher education is a major source of innovation, cultural enrichment, learning, and economic prosperity.
For example, the from higher education represents nearly 14% of the total U.S. services trade surplus, comparable to the combined exports of soybeans, coal, and natural gas. International student tuition contributes approximately to the U.S. economy. By attacking higher education, the Trump administration is jeopardizing a key source of opportunity and economic prosperity for all Americans, which has improved socio-economic mobility, increased access to opportunity, and trained millions of highly skilled workers.
Beyond economics, American universities, in partnership with the federal government, have made life-saving discoveries and extended the average lifespan of Americans.
As a leading educational institution, Harvard has faced criticism in recent years. However, its recent actions have been commendable.
The decision of Harvard President Alan Garber to take a stand by , and the strong leadership of Harvard’s board, led by Chair Penny Pritzker and supported by board members like former Merck CEO Ken Frazier, Ken Chenault, Karen Gordon Mills, Biddy Martin, and others, marks a significant turning point.
It is fitting that Harvard’s resistance to authoritarianism coincides with the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s ride, which alerted American minutemen to stand against tyranny. Notably, his fellow sentry William Dawes actually rode across Harvard’s campus in 1775.
This will be a difficult battle for Harvard, but it is not alone. Institutions are uniting to support Harvard’s fight for freedom of expression, intellectual inquiry, educational advancement, and research contributions. This is a moment for all who value the contributions of U.S. universities, in partnership with the federal government, to a competitive and thriving American society to speak out.
This battle is critically important to higher education. The legal community was slow to recognize this, but schools can be both teachers and learners.