Barack Obama praises Harvard for rejecting Trump orders to curb campus activism

After Harvard University rejected the Trump administration's demands to limit campus activism, former US President Barack Obama praised the university for setting an example for other higher education institutions.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump wrote to Harvard demanding the university audit views on diversity on campus and stop recognising certain student clubs. In response, University President Alan Garber wrote in an open letter to the Harvard community on Monday, "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."

Commending Harvard for defying what he described as the government's "ham-handed" attempt to stifle academic freedom, Obama posted on X, "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."