

The Trump Administration's Attack on Harvard
May 29, 2025
Join Steven Levitsky, a Harvard political scholar and co-author of 'How Democracies Die,' as he sheds light on the Trump administration's unprecedented attacks on higher education. Wes Anderson shares insights on the intersection of cinema and pressing societal issues. Blake Moore discusses Trump's contentious Big Beautiful Bill and its implications. The conversation navigates the struggles of Harvard amidst legal battles, funding cuts in research, and the need for civil society to defend democratic values against authoritarian tactics.
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Authoritarian Attack on Universities
- Authoritarian governments commonly attack universities to silence dissent.
- In this case, the Trump administration uses anti-Semitism as a pretext in its broader attack on academia.
Harvard Unites Against Policies
- Harvard community strongly unites to oppose policies harming international students.
- There is deep concern about the future of research and international students at Harvard.
Student Visa Suspension is Unprecedented
- US policy abruptly suspending international student visa interviews is unprecedented.
- It compares to extreme regimes like North Korea, surprising even experts in authoritarianism.