Harvard President Alan Garber has publicly criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to revoke the university's tax-exempt status, calling the proposal a direct challenge to academic independence. In a recent interview, Garber emphasized that tax exemptions for educational institutions enable critical research and teaching missions, warning that withdrawing them would have "devastating" consequences for Harvard's operations.
Garber argued that politicizing tax policy risks undermining universities' role as centers of innovation and free inquiry. "This isn't just about Harvard," he stated. "It sends a terrifying message to every institution striving to advance knowledge without partisan interference." The remarks come amid ongoing debates about the relationship between education, governance, and financial sustainability in the U.S.
