Can Harvard Become ‘David’ to Trump’s ‘Goliath’?

One of the great ironies of the Trump Administration’s decision to 1) freeze billions of dollars in future research grants until Harvard agrees to certain demands, 2) threaten to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status, and 3) demand Harvard make policy changes is that, in doing so, the Trump Administration could make Harvard a “David” to its “Goliath.”

Harvard, seen by Trump and his MAGA acolytes as – having a liberal bias, being a base of American elitism, hostile to free speech, a purveyor of DEI, detractor of traditional values, etc.,  – may have the willingness, power and just enough moxie to effectively fight the fascist-wannabe president’s wars on anyone or anything he doesn’t like.

The potential for Harvard v. Trump legal battles could not come at a better time for “the resistance” – those Independents, Democrats, unions, laid-off Federal workers, legal immigrants facing illegal harassment, women, LGBTQ activists and anyone else attacked and horrified by the Trump Administration.  Because, today, there seems to be no unified opposition that is effectively taking steps to wrest American Democracy from the looming Trump autocracy.

While some leaders are among the few speaking truth to power and calling out the dangers of the Trump efforts, most of the elected Democrats offer weak pablum – if they say anything at all. And there are way too many complaints – without actionable recommendations – on how to fight the looming autocracy.  Too many business executives – even those who would never dare shake Trump’s hand were he not “shaking down” every company he could – have “bent the knee.”

All of which leaves Harvard in a great position to not only beat Trump but to dramatically improve its image, especially after its public debacle over antisemitism on campus.   (It’s important to note Harvard has not completely mitigated its antisemitism issues and there is much work to be done before anyone in Cambridge, Massachusetts claims they have solved the Jew-hatred that exists on campus.)

Yet, the opposition to Trump and his MAGA movement need a leader.  And Trump may have just “crowned” Harvard as the opposition leader.

Harvard Should Take On Trump

• Harvard choosing to fight Trump immediately changes the narrative for the institution. It goes from, at a minimum, an elite university with a huge antisemitism problem, to a warrior institution ready to fight against autocracy.
• So many opponents of Trump don’t have the resources to effectively defend against “the man;” yet Harvard does.
• For its lawsuit fighting the Trump Administration’s freeze on research funding, Harvard has hired at least 4 lawyers with serious conservative credentials including ex-Clarence Thomas clerks, a former Trump Organization advisor and a former Texas solicitor general.  You can be sure other legal counsel hired by the University will have similar backgrounds.  Harvard is showing up to a “gun fight” with a bunch of huge weapons and enough ammunition to ensure none of the “bad guys” are left standing.  It is showing it will do whatever it must to defend itself.
• Harvard taking an aggressive fight to Trump and his minions would give the anti-Trump folks something to celebrate. With all due respect to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ children’s book tour, Senator Cory Booker’s record-breaking speech on the Senate floor, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s various attempts to articulate a case against Trump, “the usual suspects” of the Democratic party and their stale tactics are less than inspiring.
• Harvard putting its money, intellectual heft and its reputation on the line will inspire and excite those that seek to banish the Trump Administration and the MAGA movement to the ash heap of history.
• Harvard has an opportunity to stand up, be heard and serve as an inspiration. At a time when so many people have lost faith in our institutions, Harvard can serve as a shining example of an organization that – despite the mistakes it makes – warts and all – can, in the end, do the right thing.
• Harvard, in its own self-interest, can help people forget the feckless Congressional testimony of its resigned president, Claudine Gay, whose nuanced response as to whether calling for genocide was somehow permissible in certain cases at the University, led to her downfall. It was a dark moment for Harvard and led to a very reasonable outcry.

The Trump Administration has justified its attacks on Harvard and other universities with the lack of effective efforts by the schools to combat antisemitism on campus.  But let’s not kid ourselves that the Administration’s reason for cutting Harvard’s funding reflects an honest and deep-felt concern over antisemitism.

After all, this is the same president who was “impressed with” his dinner companions who were inconveniently (?) Holocaust deniers.  Numerous times, Trump has uttered antisemitic remarks and trafficked in “dual-loyalty” conspiracy theories about Jews.  Trump is a huge supporter of the Proud Boys.  You remember the Proud Boys, right?  They were the ones who helped attack democracy during the January 6^th, 2021 insurrection wearing “6 Million Wasn’t Enough” t-shirts.  Trump also told his first administration chief of staff “Well, Hitler did a lot of good things.”

So, please spare me the “crocodile tears” expressed by the Trump Administration over antisemitism on campus at Harvard and anywhere else.  Simply put, antisemitism is being used as a cudgel to beat so-called “elite” universities as part of a much more nefarious campaign to destroy certain institutions in America.

One last thought:

How much do you want to bet that this anti-Harvard crusade is because our grievance-driven president was once rejected for admission to Harvard?  That would be just like him, wouldn’t it?  It would be SO “on-message.”

Harvard needs to send a message to the many who believe the United States is a country based on its Constitution, not based on the person who temporarily sits in the White House.

Harvard needs to remind every US citizen that “the Constitution serves as…the guarantor of the rights and liberties of its citizens.”

Harvard needs to fire its sling shot and defeat the “wanna-be dictator.”

Harvard needs to be “David” to Trump’s “Goliath.”