Letter that sparked ugly Harvard-Trump row was sent by mistake: Report
Some believe the letter was sent prematurely while others think it was meant to be circulated within the antisemitism taskforce and not to be sent to Harvard
A letter from the US administration to Harvard University hurling charges of antisemitism that set off a huge clash with the prestigious institution was sent by mistake, a media report has said.
The “unauthorised” letter, which came from among others Sean Keveney, a member of the antisemitism task force, should never have been sent in the first place, the New York Times reported.
Also read: US govt freezes $2.2-bn grants to Harvard as varsity refuses to toe the line
The letter, received by Harvard last week, detailed the demands of the Trump administration regarding the changes it expected from the oldest university in the country.
Harvard-Trump face-off
Harvard made it clear that it would not accept the demands, triggering an angry response from President Donald Trump who dismissed the institution as a “joke” that he said spews hate from its campus.
Soon after receiving the letter, the university received a call from a Trump official, saying the letter was “unauthorised” and should not have been sent, the NYT cited two unnamed sources as saying.
The letter was signed by three top Trump administration officials -- Josh Gruenbaum of General Services Administration, Thomas Wheeler of the Department of Education and Sean Keveney of the Health and Human Services Department. Some said the letter was sent by Keveney alone.
Trump’s crackdown
While some in the White House believe the letter was sent prematurely, others think it was meant to be circulated within the antisemitism taskforce and not to be sent to Harvard, the NYT reported.
The Trump administration has threatened universities with federal funding cuts over pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel campus protests against Israel’s horrific war against the Hamas in Gaza.
Harvard stands firm
Trump casts the protesters as foreign policy threats who are antisemitic and sympathetic to Hamas. The Trump administration is also attempting to deport foreign protesters and has revoked hundreds of visas across the country.
Also read: ‘Harvard has set an example’: Obama, on varsity’s rejection of federal demands
Harvard has previously said that it worked to fight antisemitism and other prejudice on its campus while preserving academic freedoms and the right to protest. Harvard has also refused, within the ambit of the law, to bow to the Trump administration’s demands concerning academics, staff and students.