‘Control over academic policies’: Former WA AG weighs in on Harvard v. Trump

Harvard University has announced it’s suing the federal government to stop a federal freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants. The freeze was imposed after the school refused to comply with the Trump administration’s demands to curb campus activism.

In an April 11 letter, the Trump administration called for sweeping reforms at Harvard, including changes to leadership, admissions policies, and diversity audits, according to The Associated Press.

Harvard fights Trump’s grant freeze

Former Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna joined “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor to share his thoughts on the trajectory of the lawsuit.

“Essentially, they’re trying to exert control over the academic policies of the university; for example, they want to make sure that all viewpoints are represented in education. Doesn’t seem that controversial?” McKenna said. “On the other hand, we’ve always relied on universities to make those decisions, and they cloak all this under a campaign against anti-Semitism.”

When Harger asked McKenna if the lawsuit sets a precedent for the Trump administration’s relationship with other schools, he said it is likely something that other universities will be watching.

“I think many other universities will be watching Harvard closely,” McKenna said. “Other universities are stepping up to at least voice their support for Harvard; Yale, for example. So this is a huge test case. High stakes for sure.”

Listen to the full conversation below:

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.