Former US President Barack Obama has openly praised Harvard University for resisting pressure from the Trump administration to dampen student activism. In a strong statement on social media site X (formerly Twitter), Barack Obama praised the university for maintaining academic freedom and refuting what he termed as “unlawful” and “ham-handed” government requests.
“Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom, while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and mutual respect. Let’s hope other institutions follow suit,” Obama wrote.
Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom, while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and… https://t.co/gAu9UUqgjF
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 15, 2025
The threat follows the Trump administration’s holding up federal grants worth $2.2 billion and freezing $60 million in multi-year contracts to Harvard University as a punishment for not agreeing to a list of proposed reforms that aim to sustain its financial relationships with the federal government.
Trump Administration Demands Sweeping Changes
In a letter addressed to Harvard on Friday, the Trump administration made sweeping demands that included leadership and governance changes, race-neutral hiring and admissions, the abolition of all DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs, and international student admissions reforms to “prevent admitting students hostile to the American values.”
Harvard turned down these demands in total, saying that these reforms would undermine the institution’s autonomy and trample constitutional rights.
University’s Firm Response
“They include requirements to “audit” the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to “reduc[e] the power” of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views. We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement,” Harvard stated in a letter released on Monday.
The university reiterated that the administration’s demands infringe on its First Amendment rights and are beyond the federal government’s authority under Title VI.
In response, the Trump administration froze all outstanding federal funds and condemned the university’s position, saying, “Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges- that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws.”
As the stalemate persists, meanwhile, Harvard’s defiance has reignited national discourse regarding academic freedom, student protest, and federal control over academia. 4o mini
