Former President Barack Obama has expressed his strong disapproval of the Trump administration's decision to freeze over $2 billion in federal funding for Harvard University. The move came after Harvard refused to comply with Trump’s demands to change its policies on hiring, admissions, and teaching practices, which the administration claimed were essential to combat antisemitism on campus.
In his first social media post criticising the Trump administration since his presidency, Obama, a Harvard Law School graduate, condemned the funding freeze as "unlawful and ham-handed." He praised Harvard for standing firm against what he described as an attempt to stifle academic freedom. “Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom,” Obama wrote, urging other institutions to follow Harvard’s lead.
Obama’s remarks come at a time when the Trump administration is escalating its efforts to reshape U.S. universities through financial pressure. In particular, the administration has been pressuring institutions to take action against antisemitism, accusing universities of not adequately protecting Jewish students during campus protests linked to the war in Gaza and U.S. support for Israel.
Many faculty members across the country have expressed support for Harvard’s decision. At Yale University, hundreds of professors signed a letter expressing solidarity, calling for resistance against what they view as attacks on fundamental democratic principles like free expression and academic freedom. “We stand together at a crossroads,” the letter read. “American universities are facing extraordinary attacks that threaten the bedrock principles of a democratic society, including rights of free expression, association, and academic freedom.”
While universities across the U.S. rely on federal funding, particularly for scientific research, the Trump administration’s actions have prompted institutions to reevaluate their positions. Elite universities like Stanford have faced budget cuts and hiring freezes in response to the reduction in federal funding. Harvard, however, became the first major institution to publicly reject the administration’s demands. In support of this stance, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) also followed suit, refusing to make changes to its policies under pressure.
Despite the growing backlash from universities and political figures, President Trump remains resolute in his stance. The Trump administration has threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status, a powerful measure that could significantly impact the university’s financial standing. Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, emphasised that no government, regardless of party affiliation, should dictate what private universities can teach or whom they can admit and hire.
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