'It's what they deserve!' Trump issues new threat against Harvard
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 30, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

President Donald Trump reiterated his threats against Harvard University in his ongoing campaign against higher education.

The Trump administration has frozen $2.2 billion in federal funding to the venerable institution after its board refused demands for control over its governance structure and hiring practices, as well as periodic "audits" of faculty and student viewpoints, and the president has been threatening to revoke the university's tax-exempt status.

"We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status," Trump posted Friday on Truth Social at 7:25 a.m. EST. "It’s what they deserve!"

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Harvard's educational mission qualifies the school to register with the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable organization and avoid the federal corporate income tax, a benefit also enjoyed by museums, religious institutions and other nonprofits.

The university is also exempt from state income tax due to its its educational and research purposes, and it does not pay property taxes but contributes to Cambridge and Boston through voluntary Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreements.

Trump has called for Harvard to be taxed as a political organization.