Trump Finally Drops the Anti-Semitism Pretext - The Atlantic

Key Arguments

This article analyzes the Trump administration's actions against Harvard University, initially justified as combating antisemitism but later revealed as an attack on liberal institutions.

Trump Administration's Actions

• Initially, the administration canceled funding for Columbia University, framing it as punishment for inadequate handling of antisemitism.
• Subsequently, they threatened Harvard with the revocation of $9 billion in federal grants, again citing insufficient action against antisemitism.
• Harvard refused to comply with demands and filed a lawsuit.
• The administration escalated the conflict, freezing funds and threatening to revoke Harvard's non-profit status.

Shift in Justification

The article highlights a shift in the administration's justification. The initial claim of combating antisemitism is absent from the final letter to Harvard, revealing the true motive: punishing liberal institutions. The letter instead focuses on unrelated grievances and lacks a coherent legal basis.

Harvard's Response

Harvard responded by acknowledging issues such as antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias and announced institutional changes. However, this was not enough to avoid the conflict and led to a lawsuit.

Legal Analysis

Legal experts believe Harvard has a strong case, arguing the administration's actions violate Harvard's First Amendment rights and lack proper legal procedure.

Underlying Motive

The article suggests the underlying motive is the suppression of liberal ideology within universities, aligning with previous statements by conservative figures such as J.D. Vance.