Political Pressure and Higher Education

This chapter explores the tensions between the U.S. government and elite universities, focusing on the Trump administration's efforts to leverage federal funding in response to perceived ideological biases. It analyses Vice President J.D. Vance's support of Steve Whitcoff in U.S.-Iran negotiations, alongside the implications of funding threats directed at institutions like Harvard and MIT. Through a discussion of civil rights legislation and the definitions of anti-Semitism, the chapter highlights the struggle for universities to maintain autonomy amid increasing political pressure.