Former US President Barack Obama has lauded Harvard University's stand against the Trump administration's demands, which included limiting activism on campus. Earlier, Harvard University, in a statement, said, "No government should dictate what private universities can teach."

Obama praises Harvard for 'setting an example' for standing up to the Trump administration's demand.

Former US President has praised Harvard University for "rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom", adding that the institution had "set an example" by standing up to the Donald Trump administration's efforts to limit activism on campus.

In a letter sent to Harvard University, the federal government called for broad government and leadership reforms, along with a ban on face masks, which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters

In a post, X, Obama wrote, "Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and mutual respect. Let’s hope other institutions follow suit."

Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom, while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and… https://t.co/gAu9UUqgjF

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 15, 2025

Earlier, the federal government announced its decision to freeze more than USD 2.2 billion in grants and contracts to Harvard University after the institution on Monday denied complying with the Trump administration's demands to limit activism on campus.

In its response, Harvard University said, "No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue."

The letter sent to Harvard asked the university to stop recognizing or funding "any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment.

Alan Garber, Harvard President, penned a letter to the Harvard community on Monday, saying that the demands violated the university's First Amendment rights.

He added that the Trump administration's demands also “exceed the statutory limits of the government's authority under Title VI", which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin.

Harvard is one of several Ivy League schools which has been targeted in a pressure campaign by the administration. Notably, the federal government also has paused federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, and Princeton to force compliance with its agenda.

Harvard president Alan Garber strongly pushed back in a letter addressed to the university community on Monday, denouncing the administration's demands as "unconstitutional".

He asserted that the directives infringe on First Amendment rights and surpass the legal scope of government power under Title VI, which protects students from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. Garber also emphasized the institution's commitment to academic freedom and diversity, framing the standoff as a matter of principle.

Garber wrote, adding that the university had taken extensive reforms to address antisemitism. "These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate. The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community," he added.

As per reports, the demands of Harvard are part of a broader push of using taxpayer dollars to pressure major academic institutions to comply with President Donald Trump's political agenda and to influence campus policy. The administration has also argued that universities allowed what it considered to be antisemitism to go unchecked at campus protests last year against Israel's war in Gaza; the schools deny it.

Harvard is one of several Ivy League schools targeted in a pressure campaign by the administration, which also has paused federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, and Princeton to force compliance with its agenda. Harvard's demand letter is similar to the one that prompted changes at Columbia University under the threat of billions of dollars in cuts.

The Pro-Palestinian protests at Harvard weren't just another flash-in-the-pan moment of campus activism—they became a defining chapter in the university's long history of political engagement and ideological debate. Student groups like the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) and the Harvard Undergraduate Association for Justice in Palestine quickly mobilized. They organized vigils, teach-ins, and public demonstrations, calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to US military aid to Israel, and institutional accountability within Harvard itself.

By October, the protests had grown into a full-blown movement. Harvard Yard turned into a mini-encampment zone, echoing shades of Occupy Wall Street and the Vietnam War protests decades earlier. Tents were pitched, banners were unfurled—"From the river to the sea," "Ceasefire now," and "Books not bombs" were among the slogans that caught every passerby’s eye.

In fact, Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally. Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States."

Harvard University is the world’s oldest, 4th most prestigious institution of higher education in the world. The institution has been producing many influential leaders, thinkers, and innovators in various fields and domains since its establishment in 1636. Among them, there are also some notable Indian alumni who have made their mark in business, politics, academia, and society.

Ratan Tata, former Chairman of Tata Sons, completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group, earned both his undergraduate degree and MBA from Harvard. Rahul Bajaj, the late Chairman Emeritus of Bajaj Group, also attended Harvard Business School for his postgraduate education. P. Chidambaram, an Indian politician and lawyer, obtained his MBA from Harvard University. And, Subramanian Swamy, known for his roles in politics and economics, earned his PhD from Harvard.

35th, 43rd and 44th Presidents of America, John F Kennedy, George w Bush, Barrack Obama; Mark Zuckerberg; Bill Gates are also alumni of Harvard.