Trump Threatens Harvard's Tax Status, Sparks Bipartisan Alarm

President Donald Trump has renewed his threat via social media to revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt nonprofit status, citing the university's response to campus antisemitism and free speech issues. Harvard condemned the move as unprecedented and lacking legal grounds, warning it would threaten essential student aid and research. Legal experts emphasize that only the IRS, not the president, can revoke such status, and that federal law bars presidential interference in IRS matters. The controversy comes after the administration froze over $2 billion in federal funding to Harvard and proposed cuts to PBS and NPR. Bipartisan concern has emerged, with Democratic senators urging an investigation into potential illegal pressure on the IRS, while some legal commentators note Supreme Court precedent on revoking tax-exempt status for discriminatory practices. The dispute underscores intensifying conflict between the Trump administration and elite universities over issues of speech, discrimination, and federal oversight.