President Donald Trump announced Friday that Harvard University will lose its tax-exempt status, dramatically escalating his clash with the Ivy League school.
The decision follows an ongoing standoff over more than $2 billion in federal funds that Trump’s administration froze due to Harvard’s resistance to ending diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as its handling of anti-Israel protests.
Last week, Trump labeled Harvard a “far-left institution” and “a threat to democracy.”
“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s tax-exempt status. It’s what they deserve!” Trump posted on TRUTH Social Friday morning.
From The Daily Wire:
The announcement comes after repeated pressure from Trump for Harvard to comply with his executive orders on education or face the consequences. Last month, the Washington Post reported that the Treasury Department had asked the IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
“Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’ Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” Trump posted on Truth Social on April 15.
At the time, White House spokesman Harrison Fields said that any probes into entities over their tax-exempt status had begun before that social media post.
“Any forthcoming actions by the IRS will be conducted independently of the president, and investigations into any institution’s violations of its tax status were initiated prior to the president’s TRUTH,” he said.
Trump took another shot at Harvard on Thursday night during his commencement speech at the University of Alabama.
“The next chapter of the American story will not be written by the Harvard Crimson. It will be written by you, the Crimson Tide,” Trump said,
Watch the clip below:
Great line from @realDonaldTrump speaking to the Alabama class of 2025:
The next chapter of the American story will not be written by the Harvard Crimson. It will be written by you, the Crimson Tide.
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) May 2, 2025
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