Trump vs. Harvard

NPR - Trump threatened yesterday to revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt status. This statement comes a day after the administration's decision to cut over $2 billion in federal funding and grants to the school. The funding freeze was prompted by the president of Harvard's refusal to comply with government demands, including making changes to hiring and admissions policies and getting rid of DEI programs.

 NPR’s Elissa Nadworny says college leaders tell her they're worried the Trump administration will move beyond cutting research grants. The tax exemption threat confirm their fears. But Trump doesn’t have the complete authority to revoke a college’s tax status, Nadworny explains. He can use the International Revenue Service to do it in rare circumstances. A bill in Congress would give the president and Treasury secretary control over colleges' tax exemptions. The White House continues to claim that these actions toward universities are meant to root out antisemitism on campus.