House Democrat: Trump wants to follow Putin ‘model,' destroy institutions
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) accused President Trump of trying to emulate Russian President Vladimir Putin by punishing Harvard University and other institutions Trump views as opposing his administration.
'He wants to follow the model of Vladimir Putin,' Meeks, the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told CNN's Sara Sidner in an interview Wednesday. 'He wants us to be similar to that.'
Meeks said Trump is 'trying to destroy our institutions,' which he described as the 'fabric of America.'
Trump has taken aim at Harvard by canceling federal contracts, threatening the college's ability to enroll students from other countries, launching multiple investigations and questioning the school's tax-exempt status, among other efforts. The university and the administration are in ongoing legal fights over the rifts.
Trump accused Harvard of fostering discrimination and antisemitism on campus and said that's why he has gone after the nation's oldest and richest college.
'Harvard is an Anti-Semitic, Far Left Institution, as are numerous others, with students being accepted from all over the World that want to rip our Country apart,' Trump wrote in a recent Truth Social post. 'The place is a Liberal mess, allowing a certain group of crazed lunatics to enter and exit the classroom and spew fake ANGER AND HATE. It is truly horrific!'
Meeks disagreed with Trump's claims.
'This is about retribution,' he told Sidner. 'This is about individuals, as we've seen again and again, universities, law firms, any individual that Trump perceives to be his enemy.'
'It's about him wanting to be a king,' Meeks added.
Meeks said he views universities like Harvard as offering a valuable avenue for scholars to come to the U.S. and make the country better through research and other endeavors.
'That's what we should be about, not [Trump] trying to stand and look like a king and say, 'This is what I want; this against me, and so, therefore, I'm going after you,'' Meeks said.
Trump has shown increasing hostility toward Putin in recent days after maintaining a friendly relationship with the Russian leader in the past. Trump lashed out this week over Russia's continued war against Ukraine.
'What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD,' Trump posted Tuesday on Truth Social. 'He's playing with fire!'
Meeks has proposed legislation that would put new sanctions on Putin and Russia.
'There is no pressure on Russia at all, and I think it's time for the United States Congress to step up,' Meeks said on CNN. 'All along what Putin wanted to do was buy time and allow Trump to come in and do nothing so that they could do all that they wanted to do. And that's what's happening here.'
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