Over 100 US Universities Condemn Trump’s ‘Political Interference’ in Education
More than 100 universities and colleges across the United States, including prestigious Ivy League schools like Princeton and Brown, released a joint letter on Tuesday criticizing President Donald Trump’s “political interference” in the education system.
This statement follows a lawsuit filed by Harvard University against the Trump administration, which has threatened to withdraw funding and impose political oversight on institutions of higher learning.
The letter united the institutions, stating, “We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.”
While the signatories expressed openness to meaningful reform and legitimate government oversight, they made it clear that they opposed excessive government intervention. The letter further emphasized, “We must reject the coercive use of public research funding.”
President Trump has made efforts to force several top universities to align with his views, citing accusations of campus anti-Semitism. He has threatened their funding, tax-exempt status, and the enrollment of foreign students.
Some leading universities, like Columbia, have yielded to the administration’s demands, as Trump’s administration has criticized the perceived liberal bias within higher education institutions. In particular, the White House is pushing for increased government control over Harvard, one of the nation’s oldest and wealthiest universities.
