The Role of Universities in Political Representation and Free Speech

This week, we interviewed two people with leading roles in the rapidly escalating conflict between the Trump administration and American higher education. 

Today, we speak with the president of Princeton University, Christopher L. Eisgruber, about the institution’s path forward in the face of drastic funding cuts, and his vow to protect academic freedom at all costs. 

You can find our conversation with Christopher Rufo, a conservative activist who helped inspire Trump’s wide-ranging crackdown on higher education, here.

Guest: Christopher L. Eisgruber, the president of Princeton University.

Background reading: 

• President Trump paused dozens of federal grants to Princeton.
• Mr. Trump’s orders threaten the financial foundations of higher education, but few universities have protested openly.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Christopher Goodney/Bloomburg

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.