Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Russia, wrote on Substack: “Had Trump’s anti-foreign student policies been in place decades ago, Oxford grad Elon Musk would have built Tesla in the United Kingdom, Tsinghua University alum Jensen Huang would have built Nvidia in the People’s Republic of China or Taiwan, and Moscow State University grad Sergei Brin would have built Google in Russia.”

Its emergence as a bulwark of the opposition to Trump was summed up by this year’s Class Day speaker at Harvard, the former basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “After seeing so many cowering billionaires, media moguls, law firms, politicians and other universities bend their knee to an administration that is systematically strip-mining the US constitution, it is inspiring to me to see Harvard University take a stand for freedom.“

Brendan Boyle, a Democratic representative who graduated from Harvard in 2005, said: “Part of Trump’s political skill is figuring out how to portray himself as this working man’s populist hero even though he’s a billionaire who pisses in gold toilets.

“Beating up on Harvard will probably help him among some in his base, but I do think most Americans recognize this for what it is: an attempted government takeover of higher education. That’s something that should actually worry all of us.”

“If they can’t control the university, they want to disband it because the first thought of a tyrant is to suppress the power of reason and the citadel of freedom,” Tribe said. “That is the university. It’s been true since the Middle Ages. Harvard has an emblematic significance that makes it stick in Donald Trump’s craw. Its motto ‘veritas’ must irritate the hell out of him because truth is his enemy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wow - international applicants are going to collapse - not just at Harvard.

Why do you care, OP? Seriously, how does this adversely affect you personally in any way?

DP
Why does it have to affect them personally for them to care?

- because otherwise this thread is nothing more than a concern-troll-thread and partisanship.

Seriously; you expect sympathy from most Americans for the exclusive Harvard club of snobby billionaires who rely on the 30% of legacy seats being reserved solely for their children?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Umm- he did cut research across the board. not just at Harvard.

Yes, massive cuts to all types of scientific research.

The actors the board cuts are mostly to woke did but they really should have used a scalpel not a chainsaw

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wow - international applicants are going to collapse - not just at Harvard.

Why do you care, OP? Seriously, how does this adversely affect you personally in any way?

DP
Why does it have to affect them personally for them to care?

^ you can’t isolate one thing—it is a ripple effect felt by all universities.

^ even if he wasn’t targeting those schools- his war on science and govt agencies/programs effects many many universities.

Also, International students at university system in California support 1/2 students with their full tuition funds. They also fund businesses, rentals/housing, etc

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Umm- he did cut research across the board. not just at Harvard.

Yes, massive cuts to all types of scientific research.

He cut government programs/funds that were being done at Hopkins, Ivies, MIT, Stanford, etc.

Most of these universities have research contracts with the government. By cutting those government contracts (nih, cdc, etc) the schools suffered great losses, lost PhD programs and had to cut research drastically.

Anonymous wrote:Umm- he did cut research across the board. not just at Harvard.

He singled out Harvard and Columbia for aggressive cuts and to make some sort of very public vengeful point.

So far I haven’t heard about any cuts at NYU or Liberty. I’ll check though, along with Penn, Georgetown and Fordham.
I’m very curious re: Penn and Fordham — since they have a few chips to play that the others don’t.

Anonymous wrote:Umm- he did cut research across the board. not just at Harvard.

Yes, massive cuts to all types of scientific research.

Umm- he did cut research across the board. not just at Harvard.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]wow - international applicants are going to collapse - not just at Harvard.

[/quote]

Harvard University, a cornerstone of American academia, is increasingly relying on foreign workers through programs like H-1B visas and Optional Practical Training (OPT), often at the expense of American white-collar workers. As American professionals face growing challenges in securing jobs, Harvard’s hiring practices raise serious concerns about economic fairness and ideological influence.

Harvard’s reliance on H-1B (1,200+ hires) and OPT (15,525+ positions) displaces American workers.

Why cant Democrats be the ones working for US workers first? We thank Trump for revoking Harvard’s license and urge extending this to all colleges.

https://white-collar-workers-of-america.org/2025/05/26/harvards-reliance-on-foreign-workers-a-call-for-change-to-protect-american-jobs/[/quote]

because elites that go to Harvard feel they are entitled to cheap foreign labor. they dont give a damn about US middle class. They never had dinner with someone that worked for a living. [/quote]

This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read. It’s plain wrong and makes you look bad and unlikable. I have advanced degrees and I work my butt off for a living. Way more than 40 hrs a week for years, less now that I’m older. I work at top speed and efficiency the whole day, no breaks, no lunch break, I have to be “on” the whole time, friendly, and thinking the whole time. I constantly learn new things and keep up with my advancing field. I work with people of all backgrounds and treat them all with genuine kindness and empathy, including. My work is taxing on my body. It is exhausting but I love it. The only reason I’m not burnt out (like many in my field are) is because I’ve cut back to part time at the office.

Be careful when you knock college educated “elites”. It’s a really whiny look. I sacrificed my 20s and my personal life to get my higher education so I could directly help people like you and anyone else. I did not coast thru life. I did not go to Harvard or any ivy but I guarantee you benefit from their research. (I’m a physician and a surgeon). [/quote]

I’m applauding your measured response.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wow - international applicants are going to collapse - not just at Harvard.

Neither international applicants are going to collapse, nor will Harvard. But Harvard has lost badly in the court of public opinion. Everyone now knows the scam it was pulling. Taking increasing money from taxpayers, foreign students and foreign governments for an increase in staff and salaries and endowment. The number of Americans taught has actually declined. DEI was their red herring to distract from the grift. Trump has blown their cover and no one other than the elite want to fund Harvard.

Trump is the biggest grifter of all time. His family has made billions since he took office. But it's okay to cut funding for research which will benefit all.

Stop prevaricating. He is not stopping research to all, just to Harvard. Research in America will be just fine if all of Harvard comes to a grinding halt. It will just move to a place with better ROI than expensive and pointless Harvard.

Teump's family were in business before and are in business now. They made money, not from government largesse, but from private investors. Therein lies the difference. There is undoubtedly a potential for conflict of interest for Trump, but he hasn't done anything illegal yet, and the media must be vigilant. Given that they are not fans of Trump, chances are they will be.

Ummm, No. Trump’s daddy made money from government programs — and profited from aggressive racism by way of his rental policies and hiring policies. Go check. I’ll wait. As to your boy Don, either you haven’t been paying attention or you haven’t wanted to pay attention.

Here ya go:

https://reason.com/2018/10/08/trump-finances-subsidies-tax-fraud/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wow - international applicants are going to collapse - not just at Harvard.

Neither international applicants are going to collapse, nor will Harvard. But Harvard has lost badly in the court of public opinion. Everyone now knows the scam it was pulling. Taking increasing money from taxpayers, foreign students and foreign governments for an increase in staff and salaries and endowment. The number of Americans taught has actually declined. DEI was their red herring to distract from the grift. Trump has blown their cover and no one other than the elite want to fund Harvard.

Trump is the biggest grifter of all time. His family has made billions since he took office. But it's okay to cut funding for research which will benefit all.

Stop prevaricating. He is not stopping research to all, just to Harvard. Research in America will be just fine if all of Harvard comes to a grinding halt. It will just move to a place with better ROI than expensive and pointless Harvard.

Teump's family were in business before and are in business now. They made money, not from government largesse, but from private investors. Therein lies the difference. There is undoubtedly a potential for conflict of interest for Trump, but he hasn't done anything illegal yet, and the media must be vigilant. Given that they are not fans of Trump, chances are they will be.

Ummm, No. Trump’s daddy made money from government programs — and profited from aggressive racism by way of his rental policies and hiring policies. Go check. I’ll wait. As to your boy Don, either you haven’t been paying attention or you haven’t wanted to pay attention.

Um... Fred Trump built his whole empire on federal housing subsidies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wow - international applicants are going to collapse - not just at Harvard.

Neither international applicants are going to collapse, nor will Harvard. But Harvard has lost badly in the court of public opinion. Everyone now knows the scam it was pulling. Taking increasing money from taxpayers, foreign students and foreign governments for an increase in staff and salaries and endowment. The number of Americans taught has actually declined. DEI was their red herring to distract from the grift. Trump has blown their cover and no one other than the elite want to fund Harvard.

Trump is the biggest grifter of all time. His family has made billions since he took office. But it's okay to cut funding for research which will benefit all.

Stop prevaricating. He is not stopping research to all, just to Harvard. Research in America will be just fine if all of Harvard comes to a grinding halt. It will just move to a place with better ROI than expensive and pointless Harvard.

Teump's family were in business before and are in business now. They made money, not from government largesse, but from private investors. Therein lies the difference. There is undoubtedly a potential for conflict of interest for Trump, but he hasn't done anything illegal yet, and the media must be vigilant. Given that they are not fans of Trump, chances are they will be.

Well said. I didn’t know posters were allowed to be calm, rational, & truthful on any topic involving Trump.