Alyssa Nadwerny

Yeah, the latest move in this standoff, which has about $9 billion in federal grants for Harvard hanging in the balance, it happened on Trump's Truth Social platform with the president writing, quote, perhaps Harvard should lose its tax-exempt status and be taxed as a political entity. if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired-slash-supporting sickness.

Yeah, the latest move in this standoff, which has about $9 billion in federal grants for Harvard hanging in the balance, it happened on Trump's Truth Social platform with the president writing, quote, perhaps Harvard should lose its tax-exempt status and be taxed as a political entity. if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired-slash-supporting sickness.

And the background is, of course, on Friday, the administration sent Harvard a list of demands. Then on Monday, Harvard's president responded rejecting them, saying they were illegal in an attempt to dictate, quote, "...what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue."

And the background is, of course, on Friday, the administration sent Harvard a list of demands. Then on Monday, Harvard's president responded rejecting them, saying they were illegal in an attempt to dictate, quote, "...what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue."

I understand that there are already legal challenges to this. Yes. A lawsuit filed late last week by Harvard's faculty, along with the American Association of University Professors, is challenging this administration demands tied with withholding funding.

I understand that there are already legal challenges to this. Yes. A lawsuit filed late last week by Harvard's faculty, along with the American Association of University Professors, is challenging this administration demands tied with withholding funding.

Well, in my conversations with college leaders, many have said they were deeply worried about the administration moving beyond cutting research grants. And Trump's comments confirm those fears. Here's Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents hundreds of colleges.

Well, in my conversations with college leaders, many have said they were deeply worried about the administration moving beyond cutting research grants. And Trump's comments confirm those fears. Here's Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents hundreds of colleges.

Nearly all colleges and universities are tax-exempt organizations. They're given nonprofit status along with charities, religious institutions, and some political organizations. And that's allowed some elite institutions to amass huge endowments. Harvard is the largest at more than $50 billion.

Nearly all colleges and universities are tax-exempt organizations. They're given nonprofit status along with charities, religious institutions, and some political organizations. And that's allowed some elite institutions to amass huge endowments. Harvard is the largest at more than $50 billion.

Well, Republicans have long sought to curb those tax exemptions. And while Trump doesn't necessarily have the total authority to revoke a college's tax status, he can use the Internal Revenue Service to do it in rare circumstances. There's also a bill in Congress that would give the president and the treasury secretary greater control over this.

Well, Republicans have long sought to curb those tax exemptions. And while Trump doesn't necessarily have the total authority to revoke a college's tax status, he can use the Internal Revenue Service to do it in rare circumstances. There's also a bill in Congress that would give the president and the treasury secretary greater control over this.

Is there a precedent for what the administration is trying to do here? So one example is Bob Jones University, which had an interracial dating and marriage ban, and the IRS ruled that those discriminatory policies were not charitable. That went all the way to the Supreme Court in the early 1980s. The college eventually dropped the ban and regained their tax status about two decades later.

Is there a precedent for what the administration is trying to do here? So one example is Bob Jones University, which had an interracial dating and marriage ban, and the IRS ruled that those discriminatory policies were not charitable. That went all the way to the Supreme Court in the early 1980s. The college eventually dropped the ban and regained their tax status about two decades later.

And say more about why the Trump administration is doing this. It's a great question. The White House has continued to maintain that they are rooting out anti-Semitism on campus. But going after colleges, which the administration deems left-leaning or too liberal, has long been a goal of Trump. Here is Trump speaking at an event in Florida in 2023.

And say more about why the Trump administration is doing this. It's a great question. The White House has continued to maintain that they are rooting out anti-Semitism on campus. But going after colleges, which the administration deems left-leaning or too liberal, has long been a goal of Trump. Here is Trump speaking at an event in Florida in 2023.

And Michelle, in the last month, the administration has canceled about $11 billion in federal grants at a handful of elite colleges. And President Trump doesn't appear to be backing down anytime soon.

And Michelle, in the last month, the administration has canceled about $11 billion in federal grants at a handful of elite colleges. And President Trump doesn't appear to be backing down anytime soon.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Well, let me tell you about two of the higher education orders. So the first deals with college accreditation and directs the Secretary of Education to, quote, overhaul the system. Now, accreditation is the process colleges are required to go through to receive federal financial aid. It's aimed at ensuring that a program meets an acceptable level of quality.

Well, let me tell you about two of the higher education orders. So the first deals with college accreditation and directs the Secretary of Education to, quote, overhaul the system. Now, accreditation is the process colleges are required to go through to receive federal financial aid. It's aimed at ensuring that a program meets an acceptable level of quality.

And Trump has referred to accreditation on the campaign trail as his, quote, secret weapon in his effort to combat what he considers ideological bias in higher education. Here's White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf.

And Trump has referred to accreditation on the campaign trail as his, quote, secret weapon in his effort to combat what he considers ideological bias in higher education. Here's White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf.

Well, it relates to colleges disclosing foreign gifts. So it essentially says that federal grants for universities could be revoked if schools do not complete full and timely disclosure of foreign funding. Now, federal law already requires schools to disclose gifts or contracts worth a quarter of a million dollars or more from foreign entities.

Well, it relates to colleges disclosing foreign gifts. So it essentially says that federal grants for universities could be revoked if schools do not complete full and timely disclosure of foreign funding. Now, federal law already requires schools to disclose gifts or contracts worth a quarter of a million dollars or more from foreign entities.

The new order doesn't provide specific thresholds or new rules, but it instead asserts that universities provide, quote, the American people with greater access to general information about foreign funding.

The new order doesn't provide specific thresholds or new rules, but it instead asserts that universities provide, quote, the American people with greater access to general information about foreign funding.

Yeah, so in a briefing announcing the order, Scharf actually called out Harvard specifically.

Yeah, so in a briefing announcing the order, Scharf actually called out Harvard specifically.

So Harvard didn't return a request for comment, but the order essentially gives the administration the ability to cut off federal funds from schools that don't disclose the money they receive from foreign entities. So you take these two together, and the administration is trying to create ways to hold colleges accountable for ideological overreach and to increase intellectual diversity on campus.

So Harvard didn't return a request for comment, but the order essentially gives the administration the ability to cut off federal funds from schools that don't disclose the money they receive from foreign entities. So you take these two together, and the administration is trying to create ways to hold colleges accountable for ideological overreach and to increase intellectual diversity on campus.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Basically, Trump requested new federal guidance on school discipline. The measure calls for revoking previous policies by Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama aimed at reducing racial disparities in, for example, suspensions and expulsions. And the new guidance would prohibit using, quote, racially preferential discipline policies.

Basically, Trump requested new federal guidance on school discipline. The measure calls for revoking previous policies by Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama aimed at reducing racial disparities in, for example, suspensions and expulsions. And the new guidance would prohibit using, quote, racially preferential discipline policies.

So the other executive actions focus on things like bolstering workforce training, improving artificial intelligence in schools, and launching a new White House initiative on historically Black colleges and universities.

So the other executive actions focus on things like bolstering workforce training, improving artificial intelligence in schools, and launching a new White House initiative on historically Black colleges and universities.

The collection of orders aim to cement Trump's conservative agenda when it comes to education in America, rolling back policies from the Biden administration, and putting in place additional levers that they can pull when colleges don't follow the policy agendas they have set forth.

The collection of orders aim to cement Trump's conservative agenda when it comes to education in America, rolling back policies from the Biden administration, and putting in place additional levers that they can pull when colleges don't follow the policy agendas they have set forth.

Good morning.

Well, let me tell you about two of the higher education orders. So the first deals with college accreditation and directs the Secretary of Education to, quote, overhaul the system. Now, accreditation is the process colleges are required to go through to receive federal financial aid. It's aimed at ensuring that a program meets an acceptable level of quality.

And Trump has referred to accreditation on the campaign trail as his, quote, secret weapon in his effort to combat what he considers ideological bias in higher education. Here's White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf.

Well, it relates to colleges disclosing foreign gifts. So it essentially says that federal grants for universities could be revoked if schools do not complete full and timely disclosure of foreign funding. Now, federal law already requires schools to disclose gifts or contracts worth a quarter of a million dollars or more from foreign entities.

The new order doesn't provide specific thresholds or new rules, but it instead asserts that universities provide, quote, the American people with greater access to general information about foreign funding.

Yeah, so in a briefing announcing the order, Scharf actually called out Harvard specifically.

So Harvard didn't return a request for comment, but the order essentially gives the administration the ability to cut off federal funds from schools that don't disclose the money they receive from foreign entities. So you take these two together, and the administration is trying to create ways to hold colleges accountable for ideological overreach and to increase intellectual diversity on campus.

Exactly.

Basically, Trump requested new federal guidance on school discipline. The measure calls for revoking previous policies by Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama aimed at reducing racial disparities in, for example, suspensions and expulsions. And the new guidance would prohibit using, quote, racially preferential discipline policies.

So the other executive actions focus on things like bolstering workforce training, improving artificial intelligence in schools, and launching a new White House initiative on historically Black colleges and universities.

The collection of orders aim to cement Trump's conservative agenda when it comes to education in America, rolling back policies from the Biden administration, and putting in place additional levers that they can pull when colleges don't follow the policy agendas they have set forth.

Yeah, the latest move in this standoff, which has about $9 billion in federal grants for Harvard hanging in the balance, it happened on Trump's Truth Social platform with the president writing, quote, perhaps Harvard should lose its tax-exempt status and be taxed as a political entity. if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired-slash-supporting sickness.

And the background is, of course, on Friday, the administration sent Harvard a list of demands. Then on Monday, Harvard's president responded rejecting them, saying they were illegal in an attempt to dictate, quote, "...what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue."

I understand that there are already legal challenges to this. Yes. A lawsuit filed late last week by Harvard's faculty, along with the American Association of University Professors, is challenging this administration demands tied with withholding funding.

Well, in my conversations with college leaders, many have said they were deeply worried about the administration moving beyond cutting research grants. And Trump's comments confirm those fears. Here's Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents hundreds of colleges.

Nearly all colleges and universities are tax-exempt organizations. They're given nonprofit status along with charities, religious institutions, and some political organizations. And that's allowed some elite institutions to amass huge endowments. Harvard is the largest at more than $50 billion.

Well, Republicans have long sought to curb those tax exemptions. And while Trump doesn't necessarily have the total authority to revoke a college's tax status, he can use the Internal Revenue Service to do it in rare circumstances. There's also a bill in Congress that would give the president and the treasury secretary greater control over this.

Is there a precedent for what the administration is trying to do here? So one example is Bob Jones University, which had an interracial dating and marriage ban, and the IRS ruled that those discriminatory policies were not charitable. That went all the way to the Supreme Court in the early 1980s. The college eventually dropped the ban and regained their tax status about two decades later.

And say more about why the Trump administration is doing this. It's a great question. The White House has continued to maintain that they are rooting out anti-Semitism on campus. But going after colleges, which the administration deems left-leaning or too liberal, has long been a goal of Trump. Here is Trump speaking at an event in Florida in 2023.

And Michelle, in the last month, the administration has canceled about $11 billion in federal grants at a handful of elite colleges. And President Trump doesn't appear to be backing down anytime soon.