Trump's assault on universities is strikingly Kremlin-esque

Written on 19 April 2025.

The side-by-side screenshots I posted on Twitter this morning should send a chill down the spine of anyone who values academic freedom—a cornerstone of democracy.

One, from CNN: “DHS threatens to revoke Harvard’s eligibility to host foreign students amid broader battle over universities’ autonomy.” The other, from The New York Times: “IRS said to be considering whether to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status.” The piece added: “The move would be a major escalation [of the] Trump administration’s attempts to choke off federal money and support for the leading research university.”

CNN reported that DHS “has significantly dialled up its pressure on Harvard University, not only freezing $2 billion in federal funding but now threatening its eligibility to host international students after school leaders refused to make key policy changes the White House also is demanding of other elite US colleges.”

Which begs the question: what happened to the America we once knew—the global champion of academic freedom and the rules-based international order?

Trump’s apparent disdain for elite institutions may be rooted in his own failure to earn credibility in academia—recall the sham that was Trump University, which handed out fake diplomas and ended in a $25 million settlement for victims.

As I said in the Tweet, the administration’s actions grow more Kremlinesque by the day. And the assault on academia echoes Viktor Orbán’s clampdown in Hungary—where George Soros’ Central European University was ultimately forced to shut down.

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