Here’s why Trump is targeting universities in US

A few days ago, in a move that attracted international attention, the White House threatened to strip Harvard University of USD 2 billion in federal funding, potentially revoke its tax-exempt status and even prevent it from enrolling international students if it didn’t capitulate to a new list of demands.

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The five-page ultimatum reads like a political ransom note. It calls on Harvard to make major “governance reform” including enforcing “viewpoint diversity” in admissions and hiring, squashing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and more screening of foreign student applicants for their beliefs and reporting those who commit “conduct violations” to authorities.

Now, the White House says it was all a big misunderstanding - that the letter was “unauthorized” and that it was Harvard’s fault for not recognising the mistake. Instead of “pick{ing] up the phone ... Harvard went on a victimhood campaign,” said a senior policy strategist for Trump in the New York Times. Never mind, as Harvard noted, that the letter was signed by three federal officials and printed on official letterhead.

But the war between the White House and Harvard is far from over, Trump is likely to be in it for the long game and have many more plays to make, On Monday, Harvard announced it was suing the Trump administration for its prior threat to axe the school’s funding - a move Harvard said would have “severe and long-lasting” effects.