Trump Says He Will Strip Harvard’s Tax-Exempt Status | EUROtoday

U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned on Friday he deliberate to strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt standing, establishing one other potential authorized combat with the Ivy League faculty amid his wider crackdown on elite universities and the U.S. training system.

“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” Trump mentioned in a put up on his social media platform, with out specifying when he would possibly take motion.

Representatives for the Internal Revenue Service didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Trump’s put up and whether or not it was revoking the college’s tax-exempt standing.

Harvardin a press release, mentioned the transfer could be illegal and unprecedented.

“There is no legal basis to rescind Harvard’s tax-exempt status,” the Boston-area faculty mentioned. “The unlawful use of this instrument more broadly would have grave consequences for the future of higher education in America.”

It would additionally minimize cash accessible for pupil scholarships, medical analysis and technological developments that drive financial development, Harvard added.

Since taking workplace in January, Trump has focused main U.S. universities by freezing federal funding, launching investigations, revoking pupil visas and making different calls for. He has mentioned larger training has been gripped by antisemitic, anti-American, Marxist and radical left ideologies.

Under federal legislation, the president can not request that the IRS, which determines whether or not a corporation can have or preserve tax-exempt standing, examine organizations.

Most universities are exempt from federal earnings tax below the U.S. tax code as a result of they’re deemed to be operated solely for public academic functions.

Trump’s administration has escalated its combat in opposition to Harvard in current weeks, probing its almost $9 billion in federal funding, searching for particulars on its overseas ties and threatening its capacity to enroll overseas college students. The administration has additionally demanded a ban on range, fairness and inclusion practices, a crackdown on some pro-Palestinian teams and a masks ban.

On Wednesday, Trump advised he would withhold grants.

Harvard has pushed again, suing the administration over the halted U.S. analysis funding and different calls for, and becoming a member of greater than 200 college and school presidents in protesting Trump’s larger training insurance policies.

Trump mentioned he was contemplating an finish to Harvard’s tax-exempt standing in a separate social media put up on April 15, when annual U.S. tax returns are due, however didn’t say how he would do it.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields final month mentioned any forthcoming IRS actions had been unbiased of the president and that any tax standing investigations had been initiated earlier than Trump’s put up.