Harvard President Says Trump’s Attacks Are ‘Perplexing’

Harvard President Alan Garber said the federal funding cuts the Trump administration has ordered for the university do little to advance Donald Trump’s purported goal of fighting antisemitism, calling the approach “perplexing.”

In an interview with NPR’s “Morning Edition” released Monday, Garber argued that the decision to target Harvard will hurt Americans.

“What is perplexing is the measures that they have taken to address these [issues] … don’t even hit the same people that they believe are causing the problems,” Garber said.

“Why cut off research funding?” he asked. “Sure, it hurts Harvard, but it hurts the country because after all, the research funding is not a gift. The research funding is given to universities and other research institutions to carry out work — research work — that the federal government designates as high-priority work. It is work that they want done.”

Harvard has been one of the most prominent targets of the administration when it comes to higher education. The White House has already frozen billions in federal contracts and grants for Harvard, but is now reportedly planning to end all remaining contracts with the Ivy League school, according to a letter first reported by The New York Times.

This follows unprecedented action by the Department of Homeland Security last week to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll international students, which make up over a fourth of its student body and represent a big source of income for the school. The action was blocked by the courts after Harvard sued.

Garber urged his fellow university leaders to stand “firm” as administration officials have warned that other schools could be next on its target list.

“I would say that we need to be firm in our commitments to what we stand for,” Garber said. “And what we stand for — I believe I speak for other universities — is education, pursuit of the truth, helping to educate people for better futures.”

“In the end, we’re about producing and disseminating knowledge and serving our nation and our world,” he added.