Trump at War with Universities

The first three months of Donald Trump’s new presidency have been frantic. The runs with the previous administration are evident in various vectors, from the approach to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East to the tariff imbroglio that resulted from the “day of release” on April 2. But there is yet another war that does not deserve to be neglected: war with universities.

The new policy for higher education has caused a stir in the university environment, and on Tuesday, the Harvard University-one of the most prestigious in the world-even sued the American administration. A few hours later, hundreds of members of more than 100 Universities in the United States signed a joint letter that challenges the executive to cooperate with one of the fundamental pillars of American development, and Trump appears to be available to dialogue.

Paradigm

The iron arm between the gym and the White House is at this stage a point of critical rupture. But the war began in January, a week after Donald Trump took office inside the Capitol building.

In the midst of the unbridled signatures of executive orders are, between January 21 and April 4, twenty-seven that consume the rupture that Republicans had been promising since the election campaign. THE American Council on Education divided them into eight groups depending on the theme targeted by each executive order: «OE and executive actions related to diversity, equity and inclusion (Dei)», «OE About Higher Education and Anti -Semitism/Title VI», «OE that affect higher education and immigration», «OE with impact on title IX», «OE with impact on sustainability», «OE and executive actions with impact on universities appropriations», «OE with impact on student loan forgiveness» And finally, «OE and executive actions with impact on government operations».

Harvard resists

These orders put a number of demands on educational institutions, and the executive has been putting pressure on universities to comply with them. However, Harvard University – one of the five best classified higher education institutions in the world – did not give in, and the confrontation reached another level.

In the letter directed to Harvard President Alan Garber and Penny Pritzker, the main member of Harvard Corporation, the government says that «Harvard has not been able to comply with the conditions in the field of intellectual and civil rights that justify federal investment». Therefore, they should comply with the requirements of the executive, which can be consulted here: (https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/letter-to-to-harvard-2025-04-11.pdf). In the letter of response the lawyers Harvard chose to represent the institution in this battle against the government, William A. Burck and Robert K. Hur made it clear that the university would not respect the impositions: « It is unfortunate, therefore, that your letter ignores Harvard’s efforts and, instead, presents demands that, in violation of the first amendment, invade university freedoms long recognized by the Supreme Court. »write the lawyers, who finish the letter as follows: «Harvard is not prepared to agree with requirements that exceed the legal authority of this or any administration».

Faced with this resistance, the White House announced, on April 14, the freezing of $ 2.2 billion in subsidies and $ 60 million in contracts with the university. In a statement after this announcement, Garber highlighted the high importance that has the investigation carried out at the university and stressed «Unfolding demands made by the federal government to control the Harvard community»ensuring that « The university will not abdicate its independence or its constitutional rights ».

Judicial battle

Faced with the freezing of the back, Harvard advanced with a legal process against the Trump administration, and « The measure comes just a day after the Trump administration allegedly planned to cut another thousand million dollars in subsidies and federal contracts to Harvard»advanced the student diary The Harvard Crimson. The complaint against the executive extends by 51 pages and appeals to the court «Declare illegal the freezing of $ 2.2 billion, as well as any freezes made in connection with“ unconstitutional conditions ”»wrote the same newspaper.

On Monday, members of more than 100 universities signed a «Appeal to Constructive Dialogue»where they stress «Unprecedented government interference and political interference that currently endangers American higher education»showing «Open to a constructive reform». «On behalf of our current and future students»shot the signed bass, «We appeal to a constructive commitment that improve our institutions and serve our republic». Still, and even if there is apparently an opening to Trump’s dialogue, «At this time is not being considered any meeting»said a member of the White House to CNN.

Thus, the iron arm between the government and the academic community continues in the country that has the best and most prestigious school system in the world.