On Thursday, during Harvard University’s graduation ceremony, President Alan Garber delivered a strong message that clearly targeted Donald Trump, even though he never mentioned his name.
The moment Garber stepped onto the stage, the crowd of students, families, and professors broke into loud applause, showing their full support. The cheers continued for nearly a minute before he even began to speak.
Garber then welcomed the Class of 2025 with a line that sparked another wave of applause. “Members of the class of 2025 from down the street, across the country, and around the world,” he said before adding, “Around the world, just as it should be.”
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
That short pause and final phrase carried deep meaning. It was clearly aimed at the Trump administration’s recent effort to block international students from attending Harvard. Earlier this month, a federal judge stopped that plan, allowing foreign students to continue their studies.
Garber has spoken out against Trump’s policies before. Last year, he described the government’s moves to cut federal funding as “perplexing.” Now, with billions of dollars in federal money frozen and more cuts on the table, the conflict between Harvard and the Trump administration has only grown more intense.
The tension grew after a wave of protests spread across American college campuses, including Harvard, in response to the Israel-Hamas war. Some students voiced support for Palestinians and criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza. Others believed these protests went too far.
Trump and his allies argued that universities like Harvard were not doing enough to protect Jewish students and were allowing pro-Palestinian voices to dominate without limits. They accused Harvard of “coddling pro-Hamas activists” and failing to protect civil rights.
Deputy White House press secretary Harrison Fields responded strongly to Garber’s speech. Speaking to The Daily Beast, Fields said, “The real threat to higher education comes when places like Harvard let their students’ civil rights get trampled in a spineless attempt to coddle pro-Hamas activists.” He continued by saying, “President Trump is standing up for every student denied an education or safe campus because left-wing universities fail to protect their civil rights.”
As the conflict continues, Trump has taken it a step further by threatening to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status. The federal government has already frozen billions of dollars in research and education funding, which could seriously impact the university’s ability to support students, faculty, and important programs.
For Harvard, this fight is not just about money. The school states that it aims to welcome students from all walks of life and backgrounds. President Alan Garber once said, “We stand for seeking, supporting, and sustaining excellence from as broad, as diverse a pool of talent as possible.”
Harvard believes that learning is enhanced when people from diverse backgrounds come together. That’s how students truly learn and grow.
Featured image via Screengrab
