The letter with a number of demands on top university Cambridge was sent on April 11 from a high-ranking official within the Trump administration's task force against anti-Semitism, writes the newspaper. The demands were so far-reaching that the Harvard leadership saw no other option than to take a stand against them. A few days later, US President Donald Trump announced that government grants of 2.2 billion dollars (equivalent to approximately 21.4 billion kronor) to the university would be frozen. He has also threatened to remove the university's tax-exempt status.
A mistake
But that the letter was sent was a mistake, say two officials with insight to the newspaper The New York Times. The content was correct, say three sources, but what went wrong is a matter of differing opinions. Some within the Trump administration say that it was not intended for the letter to be sent to Harvard at all, while others say that it was sent too early, as constructive negotiations between the government and the university were still ongoing.
"Real consequences"
"It is still unclear to us exactly what, regarding the government's latest words and actions, was a mistake and what the government actually wanted to do or say. But even if the letter was a mistake, the measures the government has taken this week have had real consequences for students, employees, and for the standing of American higher education in the world", writes Harvard in a statement.
The comprehensive demands are, according to Trump's government, intended to combat anti-Semitism on campus. They involve changes in governance, recruitment procedures, and admission processes, dismantling diversity work, and collaborating with migration authorities to scrutinize foreign students.
