Trump: Harvard's Not a School, It's a 'Political Entity' That Should Be Taxed

President Donald Trump says that his administration will strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status, intensifying an ongoing confrontation with the Ivy League institution.

“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve,” Trump posted on X.

The move marks a significant escalation in his campaign to pressure elite universities over alleged discriminatory practices and campus unrest.

The president’s declaration follows weeks of growing tension between the administration and Harvard, which Trump has accused of harboring antisemitism and violating the public interest, reports CNBC.

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Trump’s administration has previously taken steps to financially target the university, including freezing $2.2 billion in federal grants in April.

In April, he warned that losing tax-exempt status was a real possibility if schools did not make structural changes that would enable greater federal oversight.

“Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting “Sickness?” Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST,” Trump posted on X on April 15.

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Harvard swiftly filed a legal complaint, calling the decision an “unprecedented and improper” abuse of federal authority, the report reads.

In addition, the Department of Homeland Security has begun revoking visas for international students at Harvard, raising further alarm across the academic sector.

Trump has tied Harvard’s tax benefits to its compliance with “public interest,” stating that institutions failing that standard should lose their federal privileges.

The Treasury Department has reportedly instructed the IRS to evaluate the legality of revoking Harvard’s nonprofit status, while Homeland Security officials have raised concerns about the university’s visa sponsorships.

However, CNBC added that a spokesperson for Harvard warned that such punitive actions would jeopardize the school’s educational mission and could destabilize higher education across the country.

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