Trump vows to "win" against Harvard as he issues latest funding threats

Washington DC - President Donald Trump vowed Monday to prevail in his clash with Harvard and again threatened to take away billions in funding from one of the world's top universities.

President Donald Trump has threatened to take $3 billion in grant money from Harvard University.
President Donald Trump has threatened to take $3 billion in grant money from Harvard University.  © REUTERS

"I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard, and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land," Trump said, without giving details, in one of a flurry of texts on Monday, the Memorial Day holiday.

He also brought up the issue of removing foreign students from Harvard – a key source of enrollment and tuition money for the oldest university in the US – saying he is waiting for Harvard to provide a list of these students.

Trump said he wants this list "so that we can determine, after a ridiculous expenditure of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, how many radicalized lunatics, troublemakers all, should not be let back into our Country."

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He added: "But have no fear, the Government will, in the end, WIN!"

Trump administration intensifies attacks on Harvard

The Tump administration has targeted Harvard University in its bid to end on-campus Palestine solidarity activism.
The Tump administration has targeted Harvard University in its bid to end on-campus Palestine solidarity activism.  © REUTERS

The Trump administration moved last week to block Harvard from enrolling foreign students, but on Friday a judge suspended the order pending a hearing this week.

Trump is furious at Harvard – which has produced 162 Nobel prize winners – for rejecting Washington's oversight on admissions and hiring, amid his claims the school is a hotbed of antisemitism.

Trump has increased his attacks on universities, particularly in an attempt to quell on-campus Palestine solidarity activism.

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In his fight with Harvard, Trump has threatened to put $9 billion of government funding under review. He went on to freeze a first tranche of $2.2 billion of grants and $60 million of official contracts.

The administration has also targeted a Harvard Medical School researcher for deportation.

Cover photo: Collage: REUTERS

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