Trump team elucidates Harvard letter explanation – NYT
The New York Times has reported that a letter detailing extensive demands regarding university admissions, hiring, and curricula, which the White House claimed were aimed at combating antisemitism, was mistakenly sent to Harvard University....
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The New York Times has reported that a letter detailing extensive demands regarding university admissions, hiring, and curricula, which the White House claimed were aimed at combating antisemitism, was mistakenly sent to Harvard University.
Last Friday, the White House emailed the Ivy League institution an “updated and expanded list of demands” in response to a wave of pro-Palestinian protests at U.S. campuses. The correspondence indicated that Harvard “must comply” to retain government financial support. The proposals included significant changes related to governance, hiring practices, and admissions, specifically calling for the elimination of all DEI programs.
Harvard rejected these demands, accusing the White House of attempting to “control” its campus. In retaliation, the Trump administration announced a freeze on over $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in government contracts with the university.
However, shortly thereafter, an official from the Trump administration reached out to Harvard, stating that the letter was “unauthorized,” according to two sources familiar with the situation.
The letter had reportedly been seen by Sean Keveney, the acting general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services and a member of the antisemitism task force, as indicated by three other sources informed about the incident.
While the content of the letter was genuine, there were diverging accounts within the administration regarding its mishandling, according to an unnamed official. Some believed it had been sent prematurely, while others claimed it was intended for internal distribution only.
May Mailman, a senior policy strategist at the White House, acknowledged the controversy in an interview with the New York Times but criticized Harvard for failing to verify the letter.
Harvard responded to this criticism by emphasizing that the letter bore official federal signatures and appeared legitimate. The university stated, “It remains unclear to us exactly what, among the government’s recent words and deeds, were mistakes or what the government actually meant to do and say. But even if the letter was a mistake, the actions the government took this week have real-life consequences” for students and employees, as well as for “the standing of American higher education in the world.”
In October 2023, Israel declared war on Hamas following a surprise attack by the Palestinian group that resulted in over 1,200 deaths. The ensuing brutality of the large-scale offensive, which has left more than 50,000 dead according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, has triggered protests on university campuses across the U.S., which has been supplying weapons to West Jerusalem.
Columbia, Harvard, UC Berkeley, Yale, Michigan, and Northwestern became significant protest sites last year, creating an environment of heightened tensions that has influenced the administration’s efforts for stricter campus oversight. Last month, the task force also reduced funding to Columbia by $400 million and warned of potential further cuts.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
Last Friday, the White House emailed the Ivy League institution an “updated and expanded list of demands” in response to a wave of pro-Palestinian protests at U.S. campuses. The correspondence indicated that Harvard “must comply” to retain government financial support. The proposals included significant changes related to governance, hiring practices, and admissions, specifically calling for the elimination of all DEI programs.
Harvard rejected these demands, accusing the White House of attempting to “control” its campus. In retaliation, the Trump administration announced a freeze on over $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in government contracts with the university.
However, shortly thereafter, an official from the Trump administration reached out to Harvard, stating that the letter was “unauthorized,” according to two sources familiar with the situation.
The letter had reportedly been seen by Sean Keveney, the acting general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services and a member of the antisemitism task force, as indicated by three other sources informed about the incident.
While the content of the letter was genuine, there were diverging accounts within the administration regarding its mishandling, according to an unnamed official. Some believed it had been sent prematurely, while others claimed it was intended for internal distribution only.
May Mailman, a senior policy strategist at the White House, acknowledged the controversy in an interview with the New York Times but criticized Harvard for failing to verify the letter.
Harvard responded to this criticism by emphasizing that the letter bore official federal signatures and appeared legitimate. The university stated, “It remains unclear to us exactly what, among the government’s recent words and deeds, were mistakes or what the government actually meant to do and say. But even if the letter was a mistake, the actions the government took this week have real-life consequences” for students and employees, as well as for “the standing of American higher education in the world.”
In October 2023, Israel declared war on Hamas following a surprise attack by the Palestinian group that resulted in over 1,200 deaths. The ensuing brutality of the large-scale offensive, which has left more than 50,000 dead according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, has triggered protests on university campuses across the U.S., which has been supplying weapons to West Jerusalem.
Columbia, Harvard, UC Berkeley, Yale, Michigan, and Northwestern became significant protest sites last year, creating an environment of heightened tensions that has influenced the administration’s efforts for stricter campus oversight. Last month, the task force also reduced funding to Columbia by $400 million and warned of potential further cuts.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
