Where did Trump go to college? What to know as battle with Harvard continues
President Donald Trump's ongoing battle against Harvard University has been escalating over the last week with no signs of stopping.
The Trump administration has attempted to block the school from enrolling international students, reportedly moved to cancel remaining federal contracts with the school, and threatened to take away the school's tax-exempt status. Trump has claimed that Harvard and other elite universities have not done enough to address what is says is rampant antisemitism on campus. As USA TODAY previously reported, the school has also long been a target of criticism from conservatives who claim the school promotes liberal ideology.
The fierce fight has led to questions about Trump's personal history with the university. The Office of the First Lady confirmed on May 27 that their 19-year-old son Barron Trump did not even apply to attend the school. Did the president?
More: No, Barron Trump was not rejected by Harvard, Melania says amid university battle
A White House spokesperson criticized USA TODAY Network questions about whether Trump applied to Harvard and answered with this statement:
"The President didn't need to apply to an overrated, corrupt institution like Harvard to become a successful businessman and the most transformative President in history," spokesperson Taylor Rogers said.
Harvard has not responded to a request for comment.
Trump has threatened to withhold funding from several universities in the U.S. if they do not follow federal directives, all under the banner of fighting antisemitism. He has alleged the institutions did not do enough to combat antisemitism during the protests against the war in Gaza, which brought allegations of both antisemitism and Islamaphobia.
Harvard rejected the administration's orders, which included ending all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, hiring an external auditor to ensure the university hosts diverse ideological viewpoints, and update admissions processes to bar students "hostile to the American values and institutions inscribed in the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence."
Defying the orders has put billions of dollars worth of federal funding and Harvard's tax-exempt status at risk.
The Trump administration also recently attempted to prohibit the school from enrolling international students, which was blocked by a federal judge.
President Donald Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in May 1968 with a degree in economics.
But he didn't spend all four years at Wharton. Trump started off his college days at Fordham University in the Bronx in 1964, but transferred to Wharton two years later.
Barron Trump recently finished his freshman year at New York University's Stern School of Business. He's projected to graduate in the class of 2028.
A spokesperson for first lady Melania Trump confirmed on May 27 that Barron Trump did not apply to attend Harvard.
"Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false," Nick Clemens, spokesperson for the Office of the First Lady, said in an emailed statement.
Contributing: Zachary Schermele, Jennifer Sangalang, Antonio Fins, Savannah Kuchar, Jeremy Yurow, USA TODAY Network
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Did Donald Trump apply to Harvard and get rejected? What to know
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Steel Stocks Soar After Trump's Bombshell Tariff Announcement
President Trump said tariffs on imported steel would go to 50% from 25%. That has investors excited early Monday.
Newsweek
29 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Net Approval Positive on Only One Key Issue
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's net approval rating is negative on a range of issues except immigration, a new poll shows. According to political analyst and statistician Nate Silver, writing in his Silver Bulletin Substack, Trump has a net negative approval rating on trade, the economy and inflation but a slightly positive rating on immigration. Why It Matters Taking the temperature of the nation, approval ratings are good measures of the public's response to Trump's policies and his actions as president. In the first few months of his second term, Trump's popularity has fluctuated, with some polls more favorable than others. Sustained backlash to his policies could persuade the president to change his approach. Trump, who made immigration a central part of his campaign, has vowed to crack down on border security, carry out mass deportations and end federal benefits for people residing in the country illegally. President Donald Trump speaking with reporters in the rain after arriving on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on May 30. President Donald Trump speaking with reporters in the rain after arriving on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on May 30. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson What To Know Silver aggregated dozens of recent polls and found that Trump's approval rating on immigration was +2.5 percent. The president did not fare as well on other issues, with a -9.5 percent approval rating on trade, -11.3 percent on the economy and -17.5 percent on inflation. May polling conducted by Verasight U.S. for Strength in Numbers found similar results, with Americans disapproving of the president's handling of all the policy areas they were asked about except border security. That poll also found that 49 percent disapproved of his immigration policy, while 47 percent approved. Overall, Silver found that when analyzing the polls, Trump had a -5.4 net approval rating. An RMG Research/Napolitan News poll, conducted between May 14 and 21 among 3,000 registered voters, showed Trump's approval rating at 48 percent, with 50 percent disapproving. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percentage points. Other polls have found a more positive response to the president. According to a recent Rasmussen survey, 53 percent of respondents said they approved of Trump, while 46 percent said they disapproved. What People Are Saying Scott Lucas, a professor in international politics at University College Dublin, previously cautioned against reading too much into any one poll, telling Newsweek: "Opinion polls have their own biases." President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on April 20: "We are, together, going to make America bigger, better, stronger, wealthier, healthier, and more religious, than it has ever been before!!!" What Happens Next The midterm elections, scheduled for November 2026, may offer a clearer indication of voters' attitudes toward the president's policies.
Politico
35 minutes ago
- Politico
Murphy launches ambitious anti-Trump PAC as 2028 rumors swirl
Sen. Chris Murphy is launching a new PAC aimed at taking on President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress — the latest sign the Connecticut Democrat is eyeing higher office, according to plans that were first shared with POLITICO. Murphy will announce Monday that his group, American Mobilization Project, is doling out $400,000 to organizations that oppose cuts to Medicaid and register young people to vote. Two of the early recipients of his funds are based in battleground states. In an interview, Murphy said that his PAC is unique because it is not focused on funding campaigns and instead is looking to mobilize people against Trump's agenda. 'All of us have to realize that if we don't act aggressively right now to organize and mobilize, we may not have our democracy in 2026,' said Murphy. 'I'm a believer that the only thing that is ultimately going to stop Trump's corruption and his destruction of democracy is mass mobilization.' Murphy's PAC expects to spend upwards of $2 million in the 2026 midterm cycle, an aide to the senator said. In the wake of Trump's reelection, Murphy has worked to grow his profile and staked out ground as one of the Democratic Party's most outspoken critics of the president's efforts to bend institutions to his will. Murphy has appeared on numerous podcasts, held town halls across the country and churned out a steady stream of content on social media. In the run-up to presidential campaigns, would-be candidates often launch new PACs or outside groups, which can be used to expand their visibility, build their email lists and cultivate political relationships. But Murphy insists his recent moves are not designed to lay the groundwork for a future presidential bid. He has argued that it's no guarantee that there will even be a race for the White House in 2028, in fact. 'I don't think it's a foregone conclusion there's going to be an election in 2026 or 2028 for anybody to run in if we don't do the work right now,' he said, adding, 'I hope that this PAC is going to act very differently than everybody else's PAC because it's not about banking money or using money for a political campaign or for other people's political campaigns. It's about mobilization.' The first recipients of contributions from Murphy's PAC include Georgia Youth Justice and Project 26 Pennsylvania. His group is also backing the Committee to Protect Health Care's work organizing doctors and nurses to support Medicaid in Michigan, Louisiana and Utah. Murphy is far from the only Democrat who has positioned himself as a future leader of the party as it struggles to find its way back to power. Several potential 2028 candidates have traveled to critical battleground and early-voting states in recent weeks. Last week, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz both visited South Carolina to attend a key Democratic dinner.
