Amid the “Harvard University incident,” over 220 university presidents across the United States have issued a joint statement condemning the Trump administration.
According to reports from American media, including the New York Times on the 22nd (local time), university presidents and heads of research institutions nationwide accused the Trump administration of attempting to control universities and released a joint statement.
They argued that the federal government’s “excessive and political interference” is “endangering current American education.”
Furthermore, they opposed the government’s excessive intrusion into the lives of those studying, living, and working on campuses, warning that “the cost of curbing the freedom of higher education will be borne by our students and society.”
By the afternoon of that day, 224 high-ranking university officials had signed the statement.
Signatories included leaders from large public universities like the University of Virginia and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as officials from smaller private schools like the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Ohio’s Kenyon College.
The New York Times noted that the statement shows the significant threats President Trump poses to academia.
Previously, the Trump administration demanded policy changes at Harvard University, citing the eradication of anti-Semitism on campus. However, Harvard rejected these demands, claiming they infringed on academic freedom.
In response, the Trump administration immediately froze a $2.2 billion aid package paid over several years and is considering withdrawing $1 billion in health research grants.
Harvard University filed a lawsuit on the 21st, arguing that the Trump administration’s suspension of these funds was unlawful.
Harvard President Alan Garber stated in a statement that “last week, the federal government took several actions after Harvard refused to comply with illegal demands,” and declared, “We have filed a lawsuit to halt the suspension of funds as it is beyond governmental authority and illegal.”