Trump cuts against universities reveal unprecedented authoritarian offensive

President Donald Trump’s government has launched an unprecedented offensive against some of the most prestigious Universities in the United States, including Harvard, Princeton and Columbia. Under the justification of combating anti -Semitism and forces ideological alignment to its ultra -right government, the federal government has suspended billions of dollars in financing for academic research and programs.

Harvard, the central target of this onslaught, had $ 2.2 billion frozen after refusing to give in to the White House requirements. The measure is still retaliation against Princeton ($ 210 million) and Columbia ($ 400 million). Among the demands of the government were the dismantling of diversity and inclusion programs and the repression of pro-palestine protests. The decision was interpreted as a direct attack on academic autonomy and freedom of expression guaranteed by the US Constitution.

Harvard, who has already barred the graduation of 13 pro-Palestinian students in April, refused to negotiate “illegal demands,” according to his lawyers. Harvard’s resistance contrasts with the posture of Columbia University, which gave in to the pressures: reformulated protest rules, expanded police surveillance on campus and accepted supervising departments such as the Middle East study.

Why did Harvard become a target?

While Columbia folded to the demands, Harvard opted for the legal resistance. The university hired one of the largest US law firms to contest the legality of the cuts, arguing violation of the first amendment (freedom of expression) and excess of federal authority.

For Rector Alan Gaber, the decision was symbolic: “University autonomy is like virginity: lost, not recovering. We prefer to lose resources to open precedent of submission.”

The posture generated support from academics and movements such as the Hands Off (“Take your hands”), which organizes protests on campuses across the country.

Harvard, founded in 1636, is the oldest and richest university in the US, with a global influence on science, politics and culture. According to experts, his critical position to Trump’s agenda has made it a symbol of intellectual resistance.

In April, the Trump administration sent a letter to the university demanding structural changes on the grounds that Harvard was not doing enough to combat anti -Semitism. In response, lawyers hired by the institution stated that Harvard would not give up his independence or accept illegal interference from the federal government.

“Harvard will not allow his autonomy to be committed,” said the lawyers. “There is no legal basis for these requirements.”

The justification for combating anti -Semitism, according to critics, serves as a smoke curtain. Since protests against the Israeli offensive in Gaza (which left more than 51,000 dead), the Trump government has expanded rhetoric against universities, associating them “ideological promiscuity” and “uselessness”.

What are the practical consequences of these cuts?

Cuts of funds directly affect crucial areas of scientific and academic research. At Columbia University, for example, AIDS vaccine development programs were impacted after the $ 400 million suspension in federal funding.

In the case of Harvard, frozen resources would be intended for research on cancer, tuberculosis and other diseases, as well as maintenance of hospitals and research centers linked to the university. For experts, it is a deliberate attack on knowledge production, which puts at risk scientific and technological advances in global reach.

One is not just talking about social sciences or humanities, but traditionally ‘neutral’ areas such as medicine and biotechnology. “Freezing funds mine the ability of medical, technological and social innovation of the country. We will not negotiate autonomy by funds,” warned the Harvard letter.

Silence criticism and rewrite history

In addition to universities, the Trump administration has expanded attacks on other knowledge spheres:

• Public Libraries: More than 1,500 books banned in 2024, including works on racism and LGBTQIA+.
• Museums: censors exhibitions that “disrespect traditional values”.
• Social Networks: Partnership with Elon Musk to watch critical speeches.

It is a war against the production of critical thinking. Controlling education, art and science allows you to rewrite narratives. This is how authoritarianism consolidates.

Why does this matter to democracy?

Universities are spaces where different interpretations of society are debated and tested. Attacking these institutions is a common tactic of authoritarian regimes, as observed in Hungary under Viktor Orbán, Brazil during the Bolsonaro government and Argentina under Javier Milei.

According to experts, Trump’s goal is clear: silence critical voices and consolidate his narrative as the only official truth.

Universities’ control is through budget dehydration, intervention in administrative domes and censorship of content, – classic strategies of this type of government.

The question of anti -Semitism and the political context

Trump’s offensive takes place amidst student protests against Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, which began after the Hamas attack in October 2023. Thousands of students criticized Israel for war crimes, while the Trump government classifies these demonstrations as anti -Semitic.

For many academics, this narrative is an attempt to criminalize the spread and silence criticism of the US strategic ally.

Resistance or chain surrender?

Harvard, with an endowment of $ 50.6 billion, can resist financially, but other institutions will not have the same luxury. The judicial battle will define whether the government can condition funds on ideological agendas – a dangerous precedent.

Meanwhile, the conflict reveals a deep division:

• For Trumpist base, universities are “leftist factories” to be tamed.
• For defenders of democracy, they are the last bastions against institutional erosion.

If Harvard falls, there will be few to remember what freedom is.

Harvard has already signaled that he will go to court to reverse the freezing of funds, arguing that government demands violate the first amendment of the US Constitution, which protects freedom of expression and the right to institutional autonomy.

Meanwhile, movements like Hands Off They gain strength on the streets, asking Trump to respect academic independence. Last weekend, demonstrations in several cities reaffirmed the role of universities as pillars of democracy.

The future at stake

The battle between Trump and universities goes beyond financial or political issues. This is a fundamental clash about the constitutional values ​​that support the US.

If Harvard can resist pressure and inspire other institutions to follow his example, this episode can mark the beginning of a new wave of resistance against authoritarianism. Otherwise, the country risks watching the weakening of one of its most important pillars: free and independent production of knowledge.