On Monday, April 14, 2025, Harvard University became the first college to openly reject President Donald Trump’s administration’s demands to change their policies. Since then, the federal government has paused more than $2.2 billion dollars in funding for the private university. This money goes towards critical research at Harvard, and the funding cuts will significantly affect science and health programs that research diseases and medicine. The Trump Administration is now threatening to revoke the Harvard’s ability to host international students. About 30% of Harvard’s student population are not from the United States.
Calling Harvard a “joke” and a “disgrace”, President Trump believes that the university should apologize for rejecting his new policies. Junior Sofia Rose wasn’t surprised that Trump was threatening to pull money from the university but she does think, “He’s doing this to appeal to his supporters, and because he thinks the colleges are being funded too much.” Rose states, “[Universities] are not aligning with his views.” Although Harvard will face serious consequences from the federal funding cuts, the university is being praised for stepping up to the Trump Administration. Alumni and past President Barack Obama sides with Harvard’s decision. Other colleges and universities have shown support for Harvard throughout this legal battle including both Yale University and Stanford University, other prestigious, private universities.
Worries from incoming college students are building up because of the funding cuts from the federal government. Junior Liana Welsing expresses her concerns, “As a junior in high school I am worried about my academic future.” Welsing asks, “are universities going to have enough money to fund incoming students, is my education going to be impacted because of these policies?” The defunding of universities are going to have major consequences on education and the development of the United States.