Did Harvard reject Donald Trump? Biographer claims it's at the heart of the feud
US President Donald Trump's escalating actions against Harvard University may be fuelled not by policy concerns, but personal resentment, according to his biographer Michael Wolff. Speaking on The Daily Beast's podcast, Wolff suggested that the president's hostility towards the Ivy League institution traces back to 1964, when Trump himself failed to gain admission.
'But the other thing is that, by the way, he didn't get into Harvard. So one of the Trump things is always holding a grudge against the Ivy League,' said Wolff, author of Fire and Fury.
This assertion comes as the Trump administration takes increasingly severe steps against Harvard, recently freezing $2.2 billion in federal funding and suspending its ability to enrol international students. These measures are ostensibly part of a broader crackdown on what Trump calls
antisemitism on university campuses
. But Wolff believes there's more at play.
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From USC dreams to Ivy League grudges
As a young man, Trump reportedly dreamed of attending film school at the University of Southern California (USC), a plan that never materialised. After finishing high school at New York Military Academy, Trump enrolled at Fordham University in 1964 and later transferred to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned an economics degree.
No official record confirms whether Trump applied to Harvard, and his published biographies remain silent on the matter. However, Wolff implies that the rejection—real or imagined—left a lasting mark.
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Despite online rumours that Trump's disdain for Harvard comes from his son Barron being turned away, Wolff insists the story is rooted in Trump's own thwarted ambition.
'It's important not to lend too much calculation and planning to anything he does,' he said.
White House hits back: "Fake news for clickbait"
The White House swiftly rejected Wolff's claims, with spokesperson Taylor Rogers issuing a blistering statement.
'The Daily Beast and Michael Wolff have lots in common—they both peddle fake news for clickbait in a hopeless attempt to amount to something more than lying losers. 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,' Rogers said.
Still, the administration's aggressive stance against Harvard has sparked wider debate.
The Trump Show: Politics as performance
Wolff believes Trump's moves against Harvard are part of a broader political performance. 'The Trump Show,' as he calls it, thrives on conflict, spectacle, and enemies.
'That's what makes the show great, the Trump show. He picks fantastic enemies. And Harvard, for all it represents, fits right into the Trump show,' Wolff said.
'The president loves the drama. He's done what he set out to do—dominate the headline. What do you do? You go after Harvard in a way that is draconian, dramatic, and existential. It's threatening Harvard on that level.'
According to Wolff, this feud is less about policy and more about keeping Trump in the spotlight. In this framing, Harvard becomes another 'character' in Trump's political theatre.
Crackdown on campus: Funding freeze and visa threats
Last month, Harvard became the first high-profile target of Trump's renewed efforts to eliminate antisemitism on campus. The administration froze $2.2 billion in federal research funding, citing the university's failure to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, particularly around protecting Jewish students.
Soon after, Trump's team barred the university from enrolling international students. Officials demanded compliance with federal reporting and behavioural standards within 72 hours. Harvard refused.
The university described the move as 'unlawful', and tensions have since escalated. Earlier this week, the administration directed US consular missions overseas to increase scrutiny on visa applicants heading to Harvard for any reason.
Trump has also accused former president Joe Biden of going soft on elite institutions. His administration's stance represents a dramatic shift, framing Ivy League schools as symbols of elitism, corruption, and political bias.
For Trump, this confrontation serves multiple ends: it fuels populist messaging, creates narrative drama, and possibly, as Wolff argues, satisfies a decades-old personal vendetta.
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