'It's what they deserve': Trump announces move to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status amid funding standoff
The move comes just days after Harvard pushed back against Trump’s demands and follows the administration's decision to freeze more than $2.2 billion in federal grants
- May 2, 2025,
- Updated May 2, 2025 5:54 PM IST
US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status after it refused to meet his list of demands, including limits on campus activism.
“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!" Trump declared on his social media platform, intensifying what has become a highly publicized clash over academic freedom, federal funding, and political influence.
The move comes just days after Harvard pushed back against Trump’s demands and follows the administration's decision to freeze more than $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in contracts awarded to the university.
This marks one of the most severe actions taken by a sitting US president against a private academic institution in recent history, potentially setting a precedent for how universities engage with federal oversight amid politically charged disputes.
Trump’s criticism of Harvard has centred around its handling of campus activism and ideological diversity. While the exact demands the university rejected have not been made public, reports indicate they included tighter restrictions on political demonstrations and greater compliance with federal audits.
The White House has yet to issue formal documentation initiating the revocation of Harvard’s tax-exempt status, but legal and educational analysts say any such move could spark a lengthy court battle with major implications for nonprofit academic institutions across the country.
The university has not yet responded publicly to Trump’s latest statement.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status after it refused to meet his list of demands, including limits on campus activism.
“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!" Trump declared on his social media platform, intensifying what has become a highly publicized clash over academic freedom, federal funding, and political influence.
The move comes just days after Harvard pushed back against Trump’s demands and follows the administration's decision to freeze more than $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in contracts awarded to the university.
This marks one of the most severe actions taken by a sitting US president against a private academic institution in recent history, potentially setting a precedent for how universities engage with federal oversight amid politically charged disputes.
Trump’s criticism of Harvard has centred around its handling of campus activism and ideological diversity. While the exact demands the university rejected have not been made public, reports indicate they included tighter restrictions on political demonstrations and greater compliance with federal audits.
The White House has yet to issue formal documentation initiating the revocation of Harvard’s tax-exempt status, but legal and educational analysts say any such move could spark a lengthy court battle with major implications for nonprofit academic institutions across the country.
The university has not yet responded publicly to Trump’s latest statement.