More than 200 US universities, colleges denounce Trump’s ‘political interference’
The leaders of more than 200 universities and colleges in the US have joined forces, signing a statement accusing the Trump administration of political interference in higher education.
The statement signed by presidents from institutions such as Princeton, Brown, Harvard, Columbia, the University of Hawaii and Connecticut State Community College, criticised what it described as “the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education”.
“We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,” the statement said. “However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.”
The joint statement comes as the Trump administration seeks to leverage federal funding of medical and other scientific research to overhaul US academia, which the president says is gripped by anti-Semitic, anti-American, Marxist and “radical left” ideologies.
Head of US university says Trump is ‘trying to destroy American higher education’
Patricia McGuire, the president of Trinity Washington University, is one of the signatories of that statement.
She said she signed on to it “because it’s absolutely essential for every college president in America to confront the Trump administration about the actions they are taking, not only against Harvard, but against many institutions and also against all of our students”.
These include “the snatching of students off the street and sending them into detention, the abolishment of diversity, equity and inclusion programmes that support our Black and Hispanic students in particular”.
McGuire went on to describe Trump’s administration as “lawless”.
“It’s a rich irony that the Trump administration accuses Harvard and others of violating the law, which is not true. There has been no proof that Harvard has violated any law,” she said.
“But meanwhile this administration is acting in the most lawless way possible, violating First Amendment rights, freedom of speech, violating the rights to due process for students and others who are detained without any opportunity to tell their side of the story, and by the way, threatening one of the most important forms of American productivity in the world – America exports more higher education products than just about anything else.
“American higher education has been the pride of this country, and the Trump administration is trying to destroy American higher education, and we must stand against that,” she said.
White House dismisses letter condemning Trump’s interference in higher education
Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson, has responded to a statement signed by more than 200 leaders of US universities and colleges that denounced the Trump administration’s political interference in higher education.
The statement from the universities came after Harvard University sued the Trump administration over its decision to cut funding over allegations that the school allowed anti-Semitism to go unchecked at campus protests against the Gaza war last year.
Leavitt told reporters that “the president has made it quite clear that it’s Harvard who has put themselves in a position to lose their own funding by not obeying federal law, and we expect all colleges and universities who are receiving taxpayer funds to abide by federal law”.
She added that Trump was “not going to tolerate illegal harassment and violence towards Jewish American students or students of any faith on our campuses across the country” and that the Trump administration will respond to Harvard’s lawsuit in court.
Students at Yale University rally against upcoming visit by Ben-Gvir
Hundreds of student protesters have gathered at the Yale’s Beinecke Plaza in protest against an upcoming talk by the far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at Shabtai, a Jewish society that is based near the university.
About 200 students attended the protest and set up eight tents at the plaza, according to the Yale Daily News.
Videos on social media showed hundreds of students chanting, “We will not stop, we will not rest. Disclose, divest,” as they called on the university to oppose the war in Gaza.
The crowds dispersed late on Tuesday evening with organisers promising to stage another protest later today.
Ben-Gvir, who advocates the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, is scheduled to speak at Shabtai tonight. His visit to New Haven, where Yale is located, is his first trip to the US since he became Israel’s national security minister.
The protests at Yale came a year after police there arrested nearly 50 students from the university who set up an encampment on campus, urging the institution to divest from any weapons manufacturing companies potentially supplying the Israeli military.
Yale security presence has not increased substantially since the encampment was built roughly 50 minutes ago. There’s still about 10 security officers in the plaza, along with a few admin.
Organizers have been passing out pizzas and water. The atmosphere right now is calm.
— Thomas Birmingham (@thomasbirm) April 23, 2025
Currently Online 
