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Fox News
19 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Harvard's left-leaning history of commencement speakers amid debate about lack of viewpoint diversity
As Harvard University faces more criticism over its lack of conservative views on campus, the school continued a pattern of inviting more left-leaning commencement speakers for its students on Thursday. Physician and author Abraham Verghese spoke to the graduating class of 2025 and used his speech to attack the "cascade of draconian government measures" from the Trump administration that have led to widespread "uncertainty, pain, and suffering." He also called on Harvard to stand firm against them. "More people than you realize are grateful for Harvard for the example it has set," Verghese said. "By your clarity in affirming and courageously defending the essential values of this university, and indeed of this nation." He also highlighted his status as an immigrant at a time when "legal immigrants and others who are lawfully in this country worry about being wrongly detained and even deported." References to ongoing political conflicts are not new in university commencement speeches, but at Harvard, the political comments have been largely left-leaning, with some of the examples being Democratic politicians themselves. Since 2015, Harvard has hosted former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, the late Georgia Rep. John Lewis and former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. Garland's address was largely spent warning 2020 and 2021 graduates about the threat to democracy following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. "At home, we are also facing threats to democracy – different in kind, but threats, nonetheless," Garland said in 2022. "We see them in efforts to undermine the right to vote. We see them in the violence and threats of violence that are directed at people because of who they are or how they serve the public. We saw them when a violent mob stormed the United States Capitol in an attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power." Guests over the past decade have also included foreign leaders such as former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. During their speeches, they touted legislative accomplishments and goals for issues like climate change and abortion. "In the past ten years, we have passed laws that include everything from the introduction of gay marriage and the banning of conversion therapy, right through to embedding a 1.5 degree climate change target into law, banning military-style semi-automatics and assault rifles, and the decriminalization of abortion," Ardern boasted in 2022. Journalists such as Maria Ressa and former Washington Post editor Martin Baron spoke to graduates about the dangers of "disinformation" and the importance of a free press. "Facts and truth are matters of life and death. Misinformation, disinformation, delusions and deceit can kill," Baron said in 2020. Other speakers included filmmaker Steven Spielberg, actor Tom Hanks and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, each of whom has had a history of supporting Democratic politicians. Harvard President Alan Garber recently addressed conservative viewpoints appearing unwelcome on campus and called it a "problem" that needs to be solved. "Many members of our community have been alarmed that students have become increasingly reluctant to speak openly about controversial or uncomfortable topics, especially if they believe their personal views are unpopular. That's a problem we need to solve," Garber said. Harvard University announced after Verghese's speech that it had appointed alum Kannon K. Shanmugam, an attorney with "strong Republican ties," to the Harvard Corporation. In a statement to the Harvard Crimson, Garber expressed optimism that Shanmugam would provide "fresh perspectives and valuable insights." The spotlight on Harvard's lack of viewpoint diversity comes as the Trump administration announces more cuts to federal funding for the school.
Buzz Feed
2 days ago
- Business
- Buzz Feed
Trump Melts Down After Reporter Asks About TACO
President Donald Trump threw a fit on Wednesday after a reporter asked him about an insulting acronym being bandied about on Wall Street. It's called TACO, or 'Trump Always Chickens Out,' and refers to how Trump often announces massive tariffs, which cause stocks to sink, then backs off, causing them to rise again. Savvy investors say they've figured out how to make a bundle via 'TACO' trades. A reporter asked Trump about it on Wednesday, and the president did not like the question at all. 'I chicken out? I've never heard that,' Trump fired back, then defended his tariff strategy, which was rejected by a federal trade court later in the day. Trump ultimately attacked the reporter for even asking the question. 'But don't ever say what you said,' Trump said. 'That's a nasty question. To me, that's the nastiest question.' That got Trump's critics talking about TACO: America, this is so utterly embarrassing. — Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) May 29, 2025 @mattmfm / Via I just found out why everyone is tweeting #TACO Because Trump always chickens out. — Quadcarl (@quadcarl_carl) May 28, 2025 @quadcarl_carl / Via 🚨 'Don't ever say what you said!' Holy shit. Trump just learned Wall Street is calling his tariffs 'TACO trade' ('Trump Always Chickens Out') — and you have to watch his meltdown. — Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) May 28, 2025 @keithedwards / Via Trump Always Chickens Out: This feckless fuckwad is forever going to be known as "TACO Trump," the moron who Wall Street secretly laughs at. Trump, like all bullies, is actually a wimp who oozes insecurity. Watch Trump's reaction to a reporter's benign question. #TACO 😂🤣😂🤣👇 — Bill Madden (@maddenifico) May 28, 2025 @maddenifico / Fox / Via BREAKING: In an insane moment, Trump has a complete meltdown when asked by a reporter about the phrase coined by Wall Street brokers, "Trump Always Chickens Out," or TACO. "Don't ever say what you said, that's a nasty question." He can't handle the truth. — Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) May 28, 2025 @ReallyAmerican1 / Fox / Via Translation: he chickened out — Claus Wachmann #Democracy #FBR #FBPE 🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@ClausWachmann) May 29, 2025 @ClausWachmann / Fox / Via Trump becomes even more unhinged when he hears 'TACO' (Trump Always Chickens Out). Share the hell out of this clip. #TACOTrump — 💥Arbiter of Cool💥😎✌🏻👊🏻 (@ArbiterofCool) May 28, 2025 @ArbiterofCool / Fox / Via "Don't ever say what you said." Say it louder. — DC Perry (@dcperry) May 28, 2025 @dcperry / Fox / Via Did she say 'TACO' stands for Trump Always Chickens Out? 😏 #TACO — 💙Jillian Hurley (@JillianMHurley) May 28, 2025 @JillianMHurley / Via I feel like taco is gonna stick And he's gonna Absolutley hate it and lose his shit — (@GoDucksnet) May 29, 2025 @GoDucksnet / Fox / Via Trump is the ultimate Chicken. Tries to act tough, but when he gets held to account always folds like a broken deck chair. #TACOTrump #TACO — Stonehelm (@TheStonehelm) May 29, 2025 @TheStonehelm / Fox / Via
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Utterly Embarrassing': Critics Cluck Back At Trump After Bizarre 'Chicken' Meltdown
President Donald Trump threw a fit on Wednesday after a reporter asked him about an insulting acronym being bandied about on Wall Street. It's called TACO, or 'Trump Always Chickens Out,' and refers to how Trump likes to announce massive tariffs, which cause stocks to sink, then backs off, causing them to rise again. Savvy investors say they've figured out how to make a bundle via 'TACO' trades. A reporter asked Trump about it on Wednesday, and the president did not like the question at all. 'I chicken out? I've never heard that,' Trump fired back, then defended his tariff strategy, which was rejected by a federal trade court later in the day. Trump ultimately attacked the reporter for even asking the question. 'But don't ever say what you said,' Trump said. 'That's a nasty question. To me, that's the nastiest question.' That got Trump's critics talking about TACO: America, this is so utterly embarrassing. — Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) May 29, 2025 I just found out why everyone is tweeting #TACOBecause Trump always chickens out. — Quadcarl (@quadcarl_carl) May 28, 2025 🚨 'Don't ever say what you said!'Holy shit. Trump just learned Wall Street is calling his tariffs 'TACO trade' ('Trump Always Chickens Out') — and you have to watch his meltdown. — Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) May 28, 2025 Trump Always Chickens Out: This feckless fuckwad is forever going to be known as "TACO Trump," the moron who Wall Street secretly laughs at. Trump, like all bullies, is actually a wimp who oozes insecurity. Watch Trump's reaction to a reporter's benign question. #TACO 😂🤣😂🤣👇 — Bill Madden (@maddenifico) May 28, 2025 BREAKING: In an insane moment, Trump has a complete meltdown when asked by a reporter about the phrase coined by Wall Street brokers, "Trump Always Chickens Out," or TACO. "Don't ever say what you said, that's a nasty question."He can't handle the — Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) May 28, 2025 Translation: he chickened out — Claus Wachmann #Democracy #FBR #FBPE 🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@ClausWachmann) May 29, 2025 Trump becomes even more unhinged when he hears 'TACO' (Trump Always Chickens Out). Share the hell out of this clip. # — 💥Arbiter of Cool💥😎✌🏻👊🏻 (@ArbiterofCool) May 28, 2025 "Don't ever say what you said."Say it louder. — DC Perry (@dcperry) May 28, 2025 Did she say 'TACO' stands for Trump Always Chickens Out?😏# — 💙Jillian Hurley (@JillianMHurley) May 28, 2025 I feel like taco is gonna stickAnd he's gonna Absolutley hate it and lose his shit — (@GoDucksnet) May 29, 2025 Trump is the ultimate Chicken. Tries to act tough, but when he gets held to account always folds like a broken deck chair. #TACOTrump#TACOhttps:// — Stonehelm (@TheStonehelm) May 29, 2025 — Plant (@plantmath1) May 28, 2025
The Journal
3 days ago
- Business
- The Journal
Community Notes vanishes from X feeds, raising 'serious questions' amid ongoing EU probe
A USER-POWERED fact-checking system designed to curb misinformation on X, formerly Twitter, has quietly disappeared from user feeds. The unexplained disappearance of Community Notes, the social media site's main tool to stall the spread of misinformation, has raised questions whether the controversial Elon Musk-owned platform is meeting its legal obligations. Community Notes relies on user inputs to tag misleading posts on X and had been active since shortly after the takeover by Elon Musk in 2022 — a transition that saw the mass firing of staff whose jobs were to tackle hate speech, harassment, and misinformation. 'Persistent problems with Community Notes raise serious questions about X's capacity to meet its obligations under EU rules,' Eileen Culloty, Deputy Director of the DCU Institute for Media, Democracy, and Society told The Journal . 'Those rules say platforms need to have adequate measures for content moderation.' While the system still appears to be active — an official account that tracks posts tagged with community notes is still posting new content — these notes have not been appearing to users. A clear explanation for the disappearance is hard to glean from official X accounts. 'Community Notes on X are still active, with a recent update on May 19, 2025, to tackle manipulation, but many users report they're hard to see,' Grok, X's artificial intelligence chatbot said in response to a query on this. The most recent post from the official Community Notes account, on 26 May, reads, 'working to get notes appearing normally, as well,' in response to a post by X's official engineering account. That engineering post, published on 24 May, reads: 'We're still experiencing issues from yesterday's data center outage.' Posts from users complaining about this problem also appear on X at that date. A fire at a data centre in Oregon on 22 May has been suggested to have exacerbated technical issues at X. Advertisement 'X is a glitch-prone platform at the best of times and it recently suffered further disruption due to a fire at a data centre,' Culloty said. The Journal has reached out to X for further information. However, X's leader Elon Musk has been explicit that X does not respond to journalists queries, instead sending them 'infinite loops' of generic messages. Prior to that, the company would auto-respond with a poop emoji. The Community Notes system involves users signing up to be 'contributors' who leave notes on any X posts. 'If enough contributors from different points of view rate that note as helpful, the note will be publicly shown on a post,' X says. However, the Community Notes system has itself been used as a vector to spread disinformation . Studies have shown major spikes in hate speech since Musk took over X, as well as major failures to take down child sexual abuse material . 'Community Notes have been shown to be far from perfect', Aoife Gallagher, a Senior Analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a counter-extremism think-tank, told The Journal. 'They are open to manipulation and are often not published at all because a consensus has not been reached, meaning that information debunking a claim never reaches regular users of X. 'In saying that, when it works, it has been found to be useful. Its absence makes users of the platform even more vulnerable to consuming falsehoods.' Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced in March that it was replacing its fact checking partnerships in the United States with a similar Community Notes feature to that used on X. A spokesperson for the European Commission's representative on Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, said that they could not comment on the outage as a legal proceeding against X is ongoing. 'The Commission opened an investigation into X regarding, among others, effectiveness of measures taken to combat information manipulation on the platform, notably the effectiveness of X's so-called 'Community Notes' system in the EU and the effectiveness of related policies mitigating risks to civic discourse and electoral processes,' they wrote. Preliminary findings released last July by the Commission found that X was in breach of the Digital Services Act, citing misleading practices, a lack of transparency, and a failure to provide data to researchers. However, the Community Notes system was not cited in these preliminary findings. 'The issue is now entangled in broader geopolitical tensions between the EU and the US given Musk's relationship to Trump and stated opposition to EU regulations,' Eilleen Culloty told The Journal. Want to be your own fact-checker? Visit our brand-new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for guides and toolkits Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... It is vital that we surface facts from noise. Articles like this one brings you clarity, transparency and balance so you can make well-informed decisions. We set up FactCheck in 2016 to proactively expose false or misleading information, but to continue to deliver on this mission we need your support. Over 5,000 readers like you support us. If you can, please consider setting up a monthly payment or making a once-off donation to keep news free to everyone. Learn More Support The Journal
News24
4 days ago
- Business
- News24
King Charles highlights Canadian 'self-determination' as Trump looms
King Charles III reaffirmed Canada's sovereignty amid Trump's threats to annex the country. In a speech opening Parliament, he praised democracy and warned of global instability. Thousands cheered the king in Ottawa during a ceremonial visit with Queen Camilla. King Charles III stressed Canada's proud independence on Tuesday as he delivered a major speech to open Parliament in Ottawa set against US President Donald Trump's threat to take over the country. 'Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the government is determined to protect,' Charles said, adding that Canada was facing a 'critical moment.' Prime Minister Mark Carney invited the 76-year-old British monarch - who is the Canadian head of state - to the capital, accompanied by Queen Camilla. The king has never publicly commented on Trump's repeated talk of making Canada the 51st US state, but his language was closely watched for veiled references. Although the speech was read by the king in his own words, it was written by the prime minister's office to set out the government's priorities to 'build Canada strong' and how it aims to achieve them. In addition to his annexation threats, Trump has also launched tariff wars, particularly targeting Canada, a member of the 56-nation British Commonwealth. 'The system of open global trade that, while not perfect, has helped to deliver prosperity for Canadians for decades, is changing,' Charles said, in cautious words. 'We must be clear-eyed: the world is a more dangerous and uncertain place than at any point since the Second World War.' 'Symbolism' The speech was delivered in the Senate - a former railway station that has been converted while Parliament undergoes renovations - with past prime ministers, Supreme Court justices and Indigenous leaders in feather headdresses in attendance. 'You see the enthusiasm for our institutions,' Carney said in reference to cheering crowds awaiting the king. He added: Our sovereignty is strong. King Charles's 'speech from the throne' was the first by a monarch in nearly half a century. It was delivered by Charles's mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in 1957 and 1977. 'In terms of symbolism, it's extraordinary,' said Felix Mathieu, a politics professor at the University of Quebec in Outaouais. Tuesday's event, Mathieu said, was a message to Trump to show him that 'Canada is not alone in this fight.' Carney has vowed to oversee the biggest transformation of Canada's economy since the end of the Second World War to enable it to 'stand up' to Trump. Charles said in the speech that Canada would also 'build new alliances' and seek out 'reliable trading partners and allies around the world' while reinvesting in its military and Arctic defence. 'Canada is ready to build a coalition of like-minded countries that share its values, that believe in international co-operation and the free and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas,' he said. Festive welcome Thousands gathered along a parade route for a chance to see their monarch arriving in a carriage escorted by Royal Canadian Mounted Police horses. Andrej Ivanov/AFP The atmosphere was festive with people waving Canadian flags, a 21-gun salute and a fighter jet flypast. The king stopped several times to speak with people along a security fence before and after his speech. Kirsten Hanson, 44, said she welcomed the king's show of support as the pressure grows from the United States. 'If there's anything that he can do to demonstrate Canada's sovereignty, I think that that's fantastic,' she told AFP. Nobody wants to be absorbed into the US. 'Elbows up,' said Marion Hand, 88, in reference to Carney's battle cry in the face of Trump's annexation threats. She travelled from Mississauga, Ontario, for the event and was visibly giddy after a handshake with the king and queen.
